Java Jim

March 25, 2010

Choosing the Right Coffee Grinder

Filed under: Coffee — Tags: , , , , — Khetani Raza @ 3:40 pm

If you consider yourself a serious coffee drinker, you have very likely discovered that freshly ground coffee beans lead to a better cup. As with most foods, coffee beans deteriorate when touched by air. Ground coffee has the same problem as a slice of cake. Because a bigger part of the surface area is damaged by the air, it will deteriorate much quicker.

Getting your own coffee beans and grinding them yourself will ensure that you are preparing the freshest coffee and consequently getting the most delicious tasting cup. Naturally, grinding coffee at home isn’t particularly convenient, consequently if you are going to take the time to grind coffee, you ought to make sure you get the best coffee grinder you can afford.

There are two general classes of coffee grinders; burr grinders and blade grinders. Therefore, the first selection you need to make is what style of grinder you want. Blade grinders will not actually grind the beans; instead, they slice the coffee into chunks. Blade grinders are the more affordable type of kitchen coffee grinders, but they give you the drawback of inconsistent granule sizes. Since the exposed surface of the coffee particles will vary, the amount of flavor they excrete during brewing will vary as well. Another drawback encountered with blade grinders is that these grinders make friction and heat, which activates some of the aroma from the coffee before brewing.

Burr grinders eliminate the issues experienced with blade grinders by allowing the user to decide on the fineness of the coffee grounds as well as the speed of the tool. This kind of grinder crushes the beans by using two metal plates, one of which has teeth. Burr grinders permit you to select the size of the particles to best fit the style of coffee you prefer to make. Since you can dictate the speed, you may even manage the heat levels and safeguard the flavor of your beans.

You may see two classes of burr grinders: wheel grinders and conical grinders. Wheel burr grinders result in consistently ground coffee, but they are somewhat messy and noisy. Conical grinders are able to run a lot slower, consequently you could grind extra fine coffee – similar to the type used for expressos.

The main qualities you will want to check for in any type of coffee grinder are quality craftsmanship, comfortable noise levels and convenience in cleaning. Timers in addition to automatic shutoff functions may become especially useful, and it is important to see the coffee easily. A tinted translucent window might look smart, but it will make it impossible for you to keep track of the hue of the beans as they are ground. Obviously, the highest quality grinder you find will cost considerably more than a run-of-the-mill one, so when you are deciding on your preferred characteristics, you will want to consider your budget as well.

Khetani Raza operates an Small Appliance Review website that informs his readers about the different styles of Nespresso Bunn Espresso Machine available.

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