Archive for July 27th, 2009
Types of Coffee Grinders
Blade Grinders 
You may ask “blade grinder” do you mean my blender… This type of grinder is more like a blender for coffee beans. Blade grinders are very popular because they are quick,
cheap, readily available, and easy to use. However, blade grinders have serious drawbacks. First and foremost, they offer very little control. Basically, you are guessing how
long you want the blades to chop, splinter the beans apart. Instead of a consistent, even grind, you can easily get chopped chunks mixed with powder. Also, blade grinders produce
a lot of friction which produces heat. Heat actually starts to rob your coffee of it’s aroma and essences before it’s even brewed. Grind your coffee with a blade for long enough,
can give your final coffee a burned taste. These are fine grinders for basic use, but that’s about it.
Burr Grinders
The best and most common burr grinder is a conical burr grinder. These devices actually crush the beans between a moving surface and a non-moving surface. The positioning
on the burr is what regulates the ground size, which allows for a more consistent grind. Since the beans are being crushed rather than sliced, there is not a noticeable increase in
heat when using a burr grinder, so there will not be a burned taste or a loss in flavor.
Coffee roasters and commercial coffee companies use burr grinders, and they are available in all sizes from large commercial grinders to countertop models. While you could get
away with using a blade grinder for brewing coffee in a drip machine using paper filters, you should certainly only use a burr grinder if you are brewing coffee with a French press or
using a permanent filter.
Wheel Burr – The less expensive of the two burr grinders. The wheel spins very fast, and these grinders can be noisy. The higher speed rotations make these grinders more messy as well.
Conical Burr – The best grinders you can get are conical burr grinders. The burr spins slower than the wheel model, which makes them quieter and less messy. You can use a conical burr grinder for oily or flavoured coffees and it’s not likely to clog, like the other kinds of grinders. These are the best type, but you will pay the price for them.