Is A Coffee Grinder Worth
Your Counter Space?

Of course, most markets carry coffee beans that have already been ground. In fact, many markets also provide a commercial coffee grinder for the convenience of those who choose to purchase their whole roasted coffee beans. With your own coffee grinder, however, not only will the coffee be fresher and more flavorful, but you'll be able to grind the coffee beans exactly the way you prefer them.

Types Of Coffee Grinders

There are two basic coffee grinders: blade grinders and burr grinders. If you've tried the local Starbucks or the small specialty coffee shop on the corner and wondered why their coffee always seems to turn out so much bettter than the coffee you make at home ... it may be more than the coffee blend, it could be the grinders they use. Most specialty coffee shops use burr grinders, which produce a finer, more consistent grain. Not only are blade grinders less likely to produce a consistent blend, they also add heat to the process. These differences are particularly noticeable in espresso coffees.

Blade grinders used a process similar to a blender. The blade spins fast enough to grind down the beans. The longer you run the grinder, the finer the grind you produce. As mentioned above, this process does generate heat as a result of the friction, and this heat can break down some of the flavor. And while blade coffee grinders tend to be less expensive, you won't be able to produce a consistent, fine blend. Most experts will suggest that blade grinders are fine for those brewing methods (such as filter drip, percolator or French press) that actually benefit from a coarser blend.

Burr coffee grinders don't use a blade, they use two burred plates that spin against each other to create a finer coffee grain. These burred disks create a finer result depending on how closely they're calibrated. Again, burr grinders produce more consistent granule fineness for optimal brewing. Higher end burr grinders include a gear reduction feature which can reduce the heat generated and even produce an extra fine grain that can be used for espresso machines. Overall, however, you'll find that the cheaper models are often calibrated incorrectly, which can lose some control over the granule size. Finally, burr grinders use either flat or conical plates, which are fairly similar, though it's believed by many that conical grinders create less heat.

Just as your preferred coffee blend is a very personal choice, so is the quality of your coffee grinder. For the best coffee, you'll generally want a grind as fine as possible. But for most automatic drip coffee makers, the inexpensive blade grinder should do the job. At the very least, you have a wide variety of possible models to choose from, depending upon your own personal tastes and preferences.

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