Everything You Need to Know About Coffee Grinders
Coffee.
Without a doubt the most important thing to ever exist.
The thing we can’t live without. The thing that gets us out of bed in the morning.
And the thing that makes us want to socialise in cafés with our friends.
There’s nothing quite like it.
Everyone wants the best out of their cup.
What is a Coffee Grinder?
A coffee grinder. It does what it says on the tin really.
It’s a device created purposefully to crush and pulverise whole coffee beans into smaller particles to perfectly suit a coffee maker or machine.
With a coffee grinder at home, it enables one to ditch the pre-packaged ground coffee and level up their coffee game with freshly roasted beans.
Is Freshly Ground Coffee Better Than Pre-Ground Coffee?
Freshly ground coffee has a better flavour profile and freshness compared to that which has been pre-ground and packaged.
As soon as a coffee bean is ground, the surface area exposed to the air is increased dramatically. As a result, more of the coffee is oxidised. This makes the coffee stale and bitter in taste.
With an electric espresso grinder, it provides the ability to grind whole bean coffee on demand, as and when you need it. It also means you can adjust the grind size each time, allowing for use with different coffee makers and machines. Learn more with our Coffee Ground Size Chart.
The downfalls with pre-ground coffee is that the freshness rapidly reduces once ground, it starts to age rapidly, meaning that it only lasts for a very short amount of time, especially when not stored in a vacuum-packed coffee container.
It also broaches the fact that pre-ground coffee is not versatile.
The entire bag of coffee is ground to a specific size, meaning it is only suitable for one type of coffee maker. (Not a great situation to be in if your friend enjoys a cafetiere coffee, whilst your mum opts for a cappuccino from the espresso machine).
Is Whole Bean Coffee Really Expensive?
Generally, whole bean coffee is more expensive that packaged pre-ground coffee. This is for the one simple reason. It’s better coffee.
Whole bean coffee tends to originate from better crops at a higher altitude and is often roasted more recently. As a result, the coffee has a greater flavour profile and overall aroma.
If you’re into your coffee, whole bean coffee even at the higher price, will be well worth it.
And if it helps, it will last you longer than your packaged pre-ground coffee meaning there is actually very little difference in it in the long run.
Of course, the largest financial hit will come with the initial buying of the coffee grinder (if you haven’t already got one). Grinders vary hugely in terms of budget, performance, and consistency so it’s important to do your research in finding which is the best suited device for you.
Grinders last for years and are often very robust and reliable, meaning it should be with you for a long time. If you’re worried about getting your monies worth, there’s no need. A few coffees in and you’ll be sold.
Types of Coffee Grinder?
Coffee grinders can be put into several different categories depending on their features.
There is an overwhelming variety of grinders on the market now, each with varying colours, features, and cost. It’s useful to know what you’re looking for before you start your search for your perfect grinder.
Typically, there are two main types of electric coffee grinders, blade and burr.
Blade Grinders
Blade grinders, generally the most inexpensive option available, operate using a sharp blade to grind coffee beans. The blade spins rapidly in the device to slice the coffee beans into smaller and smaller pieces until they are at the desired grind size.
Blade grinders offer a straightforward, slimline, and low-cost device to deliver super fresh coffee at the press of a button.
The only downfall to blade grinders is that they are not always the most consistent on the market, meaning you cannot guarantee uniform grind size between batches. Also, due to the technology and location of the blade, the grinder can generate heat which can compromise the taste of the coffee beans if in contact.
Burr Grinders
The alternative to a blade grinder is a burr grinder. A burr grinder works by crushing the coffee beans against a static surface using a serrated grinder wheel mechanism. The size of the grind is determined by the position of the burr.
Burr grinders typically have more intricate grind settings and have the ability to dictate the exact size, allowing for more precision than blade grinders.
Unlike blade grinders, this type of grinder is more uncommonly found in grocery and kitchen stores. It also comes with a heftier price tag and greater electricity cost so more suited to those with a bigger budget.
What is the Best Coffee to use in Your Coffee Grinder?
Of course, with the luxury of a grinder, you’ll be looking to purchase good quality whole bean coffee to get the best out of your device.
When it comes to choosing the beans for you, it all comes down to preference. Often, if you prefer your coffee without milk and enjoy more delicate, sweet flavours, a lighter roast would be most suitable.
A darker roast coffee delivers a slightly more bitter flavour profile with stronger undertones – this type of coffee is best served with milk as the sweetness counteracts the harsh mouthfeel.
To ensure you have high quality beans, you want to be focusing on roasters that offer single origin, high grade, arabica coffee beans.
When to Grind Beans After Roasting?
Whilst you may think coffee beans are the best when ground as close to their roasting date as possible, you are mistaken.
Coffee beans are best when ground and brewed between ten to fourteen days after roasting. During the earlier days after roasting, the beans go through a degassing process whereby they release carbon dioxide gases.
This allows for the flavours to become more pronounced, offering much more clarity to your cup of coffee. Immediately after roasting, the taste can be perceived as high acidity and sourness due to the trapped carbon dioxide.
If you’ve read this far down, firstly a huger congratulations!
Secondly, we hope to have covered many reasons why freshly grinding whole bean coffee at home is the way forward.
It’s time to level up your coffee game with a grinder.
Join the Whole Bean Revolution!
