There is a huge price difference between blade and burr coffee grinders- so is spending the extra money worthwhile?
Cheaper bur grinders weigh in at around thirty or forty dollars. The best conical bur grinders cost up to one hundred and fifty dollars. A simple press and hold, blade grinder is closer to fifteen dollars.
Coffee Grinders
So what are these huge price difference all about? Is it worth spending big on a coffee grinder?
Here are a few facts to help you decide.
How the Different Grinders Work
Blade Grinders
In the kind of blade grinder that we are all familiar with, a blunt metal blade spins at high speed and smashes, cuts or pulverizes the roast beans. It is an effective way to get ground coffee quickly. The problem is, there is no way to control the size of the ground coffee particles accurately. The mix of coffee grounds is often called 'dust and boulders'.
Controlling the size of the coffee grounds is the key to controlling the strength of the coffee and also getting the best from it flavor-wise. Larger particles will not yield up their full flavor unless steeped for a long while. Very fine particles will give too high a proportion of the bitter oils that dissolve more slowly in water.
Differences in particle size also lead to problems when the coffee is filtered, an issue discussed below.
A final problem with blade grinders is that the high speed grinding process can overheat the coffee making it taste burnt.
Burr Grinders
A burr grinder crushes beans between spinning wheels. The wheels spin at high speed so the process is noisy. It can also be messy if you not careful- never open a burr grinder when it is in operation!. The result, though, is coffee ground to a consistent, selected size. Most bur grinders on the market will let you choose a dozen or more grades of coffee grounds ranging from very fine to very coarse.
Conical Burr Grinders
A conical burr grinder works at slow speed. The grinders are usually precision made and will mill with little heat and little clogging of the moving parts, Some machines have anti-static features to reduce the tendency of the more oily coffees to stick to the mill. The resulting coffee is wonderfully and reliably graded without noise, fuss or mess.
How you Make Your Coffee determines the Grinder You Need.
French Press Coffee Making
If you are intending to use a French Press coffee maker, there is no way that you can make good coffee with blade ground coffee. Any coffee that has been reduced to dust will pass through the metal filter in the plunge pot and our coffee will look like the worst kind of river water. It won't taste much better, either.
Drip Coffee Making
If you are using a drip coffee maker, the situation is not so bad. Unreliable particle size will mean you can never be sure how strong your coffee is going to be and the coffee dust may clog your filter, perhaps leading to an overflow. On the other hand, the filter will remove the dust and your coffee will be clear.
How do You Like Your Coffee?
If the answer to that question is 'warm and wet is good enough for me', you can probably get by with a blade grinder. If you are fussy about coffee and like to get the best taste every time, you will need a burr grinder.
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Hamilton Beach 80365 Custom Grind Hands-Free Coffee Grinder, Platinum Feature
- Removable grinding chamber for easy filling and dishwasher cleanup
- Great for coffee and spices
- Hands-free grinding
- Precise cup & fineness settings for perfect results
- Hidden cord storage
Hamilton Beach 80365 Custom Grind Hands-Free Coffee Grinder, Platinum Overview
Hamilton Beach one touch coffee bean grinder . Hands free operation with five different automatic coffee flavor settings. Grinder chamber makes up to 12 -cups of coffee beans at a time. Internal cord storage & cleaning brush included. Removable & dishwasher safe stainless grinding chamber .Available In Stock. |
