Coffee grinder choose

If you are a true connoisseur of coffee, then you are unlikely to be satisfied with instant powder, because only brewed ground coffee is the “drink of the gods." And to make the taste more saturated, the aroma more tangible, it is recommended to grind coffee immediately before brewing. You can choose a coffee grinder without any special knowledge, however, a purchase over time can disappoint you with a large number of shortcomings that you will not notice in the store. Therefore, the choice is best approached more consciously. How to choose a coffee grinder? We will talk about the main parameters of this household appliance and the main selection criteria in this article.

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A bit of history

Coffee has long been known for its tonic properties. According to legend, the Ethiopian shepherds noticed how the fruits of the coffee tree stimulate goats. Later, Ethiopians, followed by Arabs, learned to collect the fruits of coffee, dry them, roast and brew a drink.

From the fourteenth century, the coffee tree began to spread across the continents. Coffee houses have become a popular place for socializing, mainly for men. In Russia, the first coffee house was opened in 1703. If at first this drink, which Peter I regaled to his associates, was considered a “bitter swill,” now few people will refuse a cup of hot coffee in the morning.

The most popular types of coffee are Arabica and Robusta. But we will not go deep into grades and their characteristics. First of all, we are interested in how to grind these beautiful fragrant grains. If your large family often drinks coffee a lot, then it probably makes sense to buy a coffee machine that not only grinds the right portion of beans, but also turns them into cappuccino, Americano or latte macchiato. This technique is expensive, so most coffee lovers are simply limited to a coffee grinder and a Turk. Consider the types of grinding devices and identify important aspects of how to choose a quality coffee grinder.

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Manual coffee grinder

You can grind coffee in the “old-fashioned” way using a manual coffee grinder. Before choosing a manual coffee grinder for the home, you need to familiarize yourself with its design features and understand whether it is suitable for your needs.

Important! It must be said right away that grinding coffee manually for the future is a stupid occupation. With the same success, you can just buy a pack of pre-ground coffee in the store. The most aromatic drink is obtained from freshly ground beans. Over time, they lose their properties. The quality of the product itself also affects the quality of the drink, so for sure our review of the best varieties of coffee.

Features of the device:

• Manual coffee grinder is a container with millstones (disks), which are driven by a handle. Of course, a person twists this handle, therefore the quantity and quality of ground coffee depends on his efforts and diligence.

Important! In some modern models of manual coffee grinders there is an adjustment of the degree of grinding of grains. But immediately make a reservation that the grinding process is not fast and somewhat laborious.

• The design of manual devices is similar to each other. The bottom line is that two millstones are installed inside like this: one at the bottom, the second is fixed at the end of the handle that you twist. The handle can be located on top, or maybe on the side.

Important! European-type coffee grinders in most cases are small, most often wooden. The yield of the finished product is small.Oriental coffee grinders are most often cylindrical in shape, have a larger volume and size.

• At the top of the coffee grinder there is a compartment for a small portion of beans. To grind it normally, it will take about 10 minutes, at least.

Important! The longer you turn the handle of the coffee grinder, the finer the grinding.

• One batch is enough for a couple cups of the drink. In addition, the particles of the grains may smudge unevenly.

Important! There are varieties of coffee that have hard grains; it is very difficult to grind them by hand. For example, robusta grains are harder than Arabica.

Advantages of manual coffee grinders:

• they are compact;
• do not depend on electricity;
• are inexpensive;
• in addition, some coffee lovers just like the process of grinding beans.

Important! Ground coffee in a hand mill is more suitable for brewing in a French press, since it will be difficult to achieve fine grinding, as for Turks.

How to choose a manual coffee grinder?

When buying, pay attention not only to the design and strength of the structure, but also to what material the millstones themselves are made of. It can be ceramic or cast iron.

• Ceramic are fragile, but in the process of grinding they always remain dry.
• Cast iron - strong, but in the process can draw in moisture, which, of course, will affect the quality of grinding.

When choosing a manual coffee grinder in the store, focus on its ease of use just for you and on the volume of the coffee compartment.

Important! Such coffee grinders, although not very popular in our progressive age, but still, stores provide models of various designs and prices.

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Electric grinder with millstones

An electric grinder with millstones saves effort and time for coffee lovers, and in addition, it can make coffee of different grindings. But for the preparation of various coffee drinks, it is important not only the variety of coffee beans, but also the degree of grinding.

Important! Espresso needs ultra-fine grinding. For brewing in a French press, coarse grinding is enough.

Features

The principle of operation of this device is similar to a manual type device:

• Inside, two conical or cylindrical millstones still spin. But human efforts in this case are minimized - just a click of a button is required.
• In such coffee grinders, grains are ground evenly and quickly enough.
• The finished product, unlike rotating knives, is assembled in a separate container, which is very convenient.

Important! In more expensive models, the degree of grinding can be selected on the touch screen.

How to choose a coffee grinder for home?

Since this is an electrical appliance, first pay attention to the manufacturer, choose a brand that you trust.

Important! DeLonghi, Gaggia, Braun and Kenwood have excellent reviews.

Inspect whether the case is securely made (it is better if it is metal rather than plastic), the lid is tightly closed, and the container for collecting coffee is well fixed.

Another important characteristic is the material from which the millstones are made. It could be:

• stainless steel is the cheapest, but not very durable material;
• ceramics - perfectly grinds grains, without affecting their taste, but fragile;
• special alloy with a titanium coating - more expensive, but very durable;
• cast iron - average in price, but with prolonged grinding can be moistened, which can impair the quality of the product;
• artificial stone made from a mixture of ceramics with corundum is expensive, the grinding quality is the same as that of ceramics, although the material is not so fragile.

It is also worth paying attention to the power of the device. It can be from 100 to 1000 watts.

Important! Most often, for home use, coffee grinders with a capacity of 150 to 300 watts are taken. This is enough to quickly grind the grains for several cups of coffee. You can choose a powerful coffee grinder with large parameters, but at a higher power, the grains grind at a very high speed and with greater force, which can lead to a burnt and bitter aftertaste.

Also pay attention to the volume of the grain tank.If there are enough coffee lovers in the house, then a small compartment is indispensable.

Important! In many models, the bean compartment is spacious, but you yourself program how many servings you need to grind coffee. The coffee grinder does not use all the grains, but the desired portion (on average, about 7 g of coffee goes to one cup). The rest will remain in the top closed tank. As we wrote above, grinding grain for the future is not worth it; otherwise, they will lose their taste and aroma. Maximum - at 2-3 nearest coffee houses.

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Rotary coffee grinder with knives

Such models are in great demand, and there are a number of reasons for this:

• They are powerful, fast and compact. In addition, you can use them not only for grinding coffee. You can make icing sugar in them, chop nuts, dry spices.
  

  Important! Manufacturers of this technique do not recommend using coffee grinders for other purposes, since foreign particles can affect the taste of coffee.

• In such a coffee grinder, the grains are poured into the common compartment, where they are crushed by rotating sharp knives. The knives are driven by a motor, which is hidden in the housing. Ground coffee remains there, which is not very convenient.

Important! Grinding principle: the longer the appliance works, the finer the grains are crushed.

• These coffee grinders are, in principle, inexpensive. They are designed for the unassuming coffee lover who brews it from time to time in a Turk or a drip or geyser type coffee machine.

Important! Such a device is not suitable for a coffee machine, as the grinding is heterogeneous.

• There are models with an inclined bottom, which contributes to a more uniform processing of grains, but this does not solve the problem of uneven grinding by 100%.

How to choose a coffee grinder for a rotary type house?

• As in previous cases, trust trusted brands (Bosch, DeLonghi).
• Pay attention to the reliability of the case and all its components.

Important! For dubious manufacturers, especially Chinese, the motor and the Start button are most often out of order.

• See indicated power. For home use, 100-270 watts is enough. The more powerful the device, the faster it will cope with the task, but too powerful to anything. Otherwise, the coffee grinder will not only grind the grains into dust for a second, but also give them a burnt aftertaste.

Important! If you prefer a model with high power, then it must necessarily have protection against overheating.

• Pay attention to the knives. A poor-quality alloy will quickly become dull and can give the coffee a metallic taste.
• See also the volume of the grain compartment. For the sake of a few cups of coffee, do not overpay for a large tank.

Important! For two cups of the drink, 15-20 g of coffee is enough. A coffee grinder with a volume of 130 g should be taken only for a large company.

• It should be noted that coffee grinders with knives are noisier than those with millstones. To minimize this noise, pay attention to models with a rubber bottom or legs. They soften the vibration.

Important! To make it easier for you to choose the highest quality model, check out ourtop coffee grinders. 

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Manual or electric coffee grinder - what to choose?

Summarize the information considered and highlight several aspects of individual choice:

• If you sometimes like to drink coffee slowly, savoring, so to speak, the whole process from A to Z, and in addition, you do not want to spend much, then your option is a manual coffee grinder.
• If you do not want to spend time and energy grinding coffee beans, and brew a drink in a Turk, a coffee maker or a French press, then you can get a coffee grinder with knives. Volume and capacity depend on the number of people who will drink coffee in your family at the same time.
• If you have a coffee machine, you are a pretentious coffee lover with big needs, like different varieties and types of coffee, then the best choice is an electric coffee grinder with millstones. Such devices are the most expensive.

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Stock footage

To enjoy aromatic fresh coffee to the fullest, you must have a coffee grinder in the arsenal of kitchen appliances.Knowing how to choose a good coffee grinder, you can purchase the necessary item and savor the drink daily. The price of the coffee grinder will depend on the type, brand, power, tank volume, body material and knives (millstones), and the availability of additional functions. Consider the needs of the family and choose the optimal device that will provide not only comfort of use, but also a quality drink.