To make a cup of coffee not just a cup of coffee, but truly perfect, it is very important not only to grind the coffee freshly, but also to ensure that it is ground properly. Indeed, one of the most important coffee purchases is a good coffee grinder. We briefly review the different types of coffee grinders to make it easier for you to choose the most suitable option, and to ensure that your new purchase meets your needs and does not start collecting dust on the shelf after a week.
Knives or millstones?
Grinders with multiple rotating blades are cheaper and quite easily available. You can buy one at your nearest large grocery store. They are quite comfortable to use: they work quickly, so you can quickly make fresh coffee.
However, the blades grind the coffee unevenly, so these grinders will not be able to ensure the same coarseness of the coffee particles as a burr grinder. Unevenly ground coffee particles will lead to poor, uneven water flow, which will negatively affect the taste.
For the consistency of the coffee grind, you should definitely choose a coffee grinder. This type of grinder is also used in cafes, the technology of these products has been developed, so their quality and reliability are higher. Of course, with this comes a higher price.
If you only brew coffee in a cup or with a FrenchPress, you probably won't notice the unevenly ground coffee from a knife grinder in the taste. But if you take coffee preparation seriously, brew it precisely, and use special filter or pressure coffee makers, then a coffee grinder is as essential as scales, a thermometer, and quality specialty coffee.
Electric or manual?
Manual grinders can be slower than electric ones. The latter will save you dozens of precious morning seconds. A manual grinder, especially when grinding at a finer grind, will require a little more physical strength, but you can count that as a light morning workout. Plus, you can always easily throw a manual grinder into your weekend essentials bag. They are usually compact and, of course, independent of electricity. Plus, in most cases, they are a bit cheaper than their electric cousins.
PRO TIP: When looking at a grinder model, consider whether it will be easy to change the grinding coarseness and whether this setting will be fixed stably and will not shake during grinding. If you choose an electric one, pay attention to whether the grinder measures the coffee dose - this functionality will cost extra, but will allow you to grind the exact amount of coffee without additional effort.
As you can see, choosing a coffee grinder is not an easy task, but we hope that this information will help you make an informed decision. Remember that freshly ground coffee, in any case, will always be more enjoyable than old, stale coffee.
You can find some reliable and inexpensive options here: Coffee making equipment
