For many years’ coffee has been playing an important role in the world. Each cup of coffee is unique, the result of the process is begun in coffee beans. In order to have the best coffee it is best if the coffee grounds are grinded perfectly according to the person's taste. Grinding coffee at home has increasingly become a popular option for coffee consumers around the world.
The main aim of grinding beans for brewing is to expose enough surface to extract the flavour locked inside the beans to make a good cup of coffee. The finer the grind, the more surface area that air has access to as well, which is why beans that are ground and left to sit go stale. you should only grind your coffee right before you’re ready to brew.
The following factors are to be considered in order to choose the best grinder for you:
Which type of grinder is to use:
In order to own the best coffee grinder, one of the main things to know is what type of grinder needed to use. Some of the types of grinders are listed below.
- Burr grinder:
This type of grinder works by crushing the coffee beans against a static surface with a grinder wheel. The fineness of the coffee ground is set by the position of the burr. Since the force of impact isn’t concentrated on one specific point, the grind tends to be more consistent. In burr grinders you get procession, have better consistency and better control over your coffee grounds.
There are two types of burr grinder:
- Flat burrs: These burrs use centrifugal force to propel the beans towards the burr. These burrs can be adjusted by moving disks closer for finer grounds or by further apart for coarser grounds. These flat burrs are cheaper in the burr grinders.
- Conical Burrs: These are known to be the best Burr grinders but they are expensive when compared to the other grinders. These conical burrs are operated by adjusting in degrees and used at slow speed.
- Blade grinders:
These are usually like your grinder machines used in homes. They use blades to slice coffee beans into small parts. The blade spins very quickly and looks like a propeller. It slices the beans into smaller and smaller pieces. These blades hit the coffee so hard that it results in a lot of boulders and fines. The fineness of the ground coffee is controlled by the length of time that you grind the coffee beans for. This makes them less precise than burr machines. Uneven grounds can be found also heat generated by blades can change the taste. Blade grinders are usually cheaper than all other grinders.
- Material used in grinders
Different materials are used in grinders in order to make a perfect grinder. One of the most used material in burr grinder is ceramic. Ceramic has high strength blades which are long lasting. They start of less sharp than steel but they retain their sharpness in a mean time. Ceramic doesn’t conduct heat so that there is no need to worry about the temperature affecting the oils of the coffee. Ceramic grinders are best for manual grinding because it helps ensure the blades don’t get damaged, making them last longer
Other material which is used in grinder is stainless steel. Stainless steel is becoming increasingly more popular among coffee fanatics. As the material has chromium it is corrosion resistant. These do not form rust even after you wash them. Stainless steel starts out much sharper than ceramic which gives you more precise in grinding and uniform grounds. They also don’t typically produce any fines, which can help increase the longevity of your filters. Stainless grinders are cheaper than ceramic grinders but their blades will warp and become blunt faster than ceramic ones.
- Manual vs Electric Grinders
Most modern types of burr grinder are electrically powered, but there are also some manual grinders available on the market. Manual grinders usually work by the operator using a crank. The size of the grind is dictated by how long you grind. In a manual burr grinder, you crank the swivel arm continuously thus providing the necessary power required to rotate the burrs and crush the beans. The texture of coffee obtained mainly depends on the amount of energy or effort that you put in combined with your grinder settings.
Manual burr grinders produce uniform-sized grounds, which is essential to the consistency of coffee. They can produce consistent grind sizes from espresso to French press. However, not all of these grinders have a multitude of grind-size settings or adjustments. You will also notice that manual coffee grinders tend to be small and the more grind settings or features, the larger the price.
Manual grinders are simpler to use and are affordable than electric grinders. Unlike electric grinders they can be portable. They are not the most convenient to use and not the most powerful grinders than electric grinders.
Cleaning process of the Grinder:
Electric grinders: Cleaning process in electric grinders is as easy as grinding the coffee beans. Don’t use water to clean the electric grinder instead by using rice grinders can be cleaned.
- Take rice and measure ¼ th cup or depending up on the size of the grinder
- Pour rice in to the machine and run through
- Throw out the powder which is mixed with oils.
- Wipe sides with a damp towel.
- Sit it out dry until next use
Manual Grinders: Cleaning a manual grinder is simple.
- Start by taking the grinder apart. Do this over a flat surface without much on it. You can place a white towel under the grinder to make the parts easily visible and keep them from getting lost.
- Take out the metal washer, the spring, the plastic washer, and the rod from the opposite side. You now have a fully disassembled hand grinder.
- Clean each and every part with a preferred solution
- Re-assemble all the parts before next use
The perfect grinder does not exist. However, there are many fantastic machines on the market offering a wide range of capabilities. Please visit our website technical coffee to find some of the best grinders and coffee pots to enjoy your delicious coffee at your home.
