Java Jim

Prior to purchasing a coffee bean grinder a few things need to be considered. Cost and convenience. The two types of coffee bean grinders on the market are the ones with blades and the ones with two burr blades. Blades are much more cost effective and are small enough to tuck away, while the more costly burr grinders are larger, have more features but produce a more uniformed grind. Some people find that blade grinders can be a bit more messy with having to measure the coffee and pour into the coffee basket where as with most burr plate grinders this step has been eliminated, allowing the consumer to pour directly from the grinder to the coffee basket.

The difference between a blade grinder and a burr blade grinder are the way they actually grind the coffee beans. A blade grinder slices the beans into smaller and smaller particles while a burr plate grinder actually pulverizes the beans into a more powdery consistency. This makes the grounds to be more consistent and smoother. In order to maximize the effectiveness of a blade grinder, a few jostles to the grinder while grinding can help keep larger pieces of coffee beans from becoming stuck in places that the blades can miss. This is not necessary with a burr grinder which usually have a number of settings that enable the beans to be ground to perfection.

Another trick when using a blade grinder to ensure a better ground of coffee is to not keep the button in a downward position for more than a couple of seconds at a time. To achieve a fine ground, twenty seconds is the maximum amount of time where as for a coarser grind, then up to ten seconds works best. Medium grounds are good for up to fourteen seconds. These times can be played with in order to get the best ground for you and your coffee maker. If a coarser ground is required, then ten seconds may be too long and for finer ground coffee then maybe twenty seconds is not long enough.

Since most coffee makers are of the drip plunger or pot types, coarser grounds are usually needed. If making a cup of espresso, then a finer ground would be recommended. A guideline to making a good cup of coffee would be one rounded tablespoon of coffee for every two cups of water. If six cups of coffee is desired, then six cups of water would be used with three scoops of ground coffee. A drawback when using a blade grinder is having to grind the beans, measure the coffee inside the lid of the grinder and then place into the coffee filter, sometimes losing coffee grounds along the way. Many burr plate grinders have an automatic measuring system and this allows you to grind and pour omitting the messy measuring process.

The difference between purchasing coffee all ready ground and whole beans to grind at a later time is freshness. Ground coffee loses its shelf life within a few days of grinding. It is important to only grind the amount to be used that day in order to ensure the freshest pot of coffee and to also maximize the coffee’s flavor. When buying coffee from a market that is already ground, there is a good chance it is stale when purchased depending on how long the coffee has been sitting on the shelf within the store. While it is convenient to buy ground coffee, it only takes an additional couple of minutes to grind whole beans for a better cup of coffee.

If a fresher, more flavorful cup of coffee is what you are looking for then investing in an inexpensive blade grinder would be a smart move. You will not add much more time to your morning, and will be brewing the freshest pot of coffee possible. If after using a blade grinder for a period of time becomes routine, you may want to look into purchasing the more expensive burr plate grinder. This will allow the maximum great taste with the added convenience of grinding at different levels automatically and eliminating the step of measuring. Either way, once a coffee bean grinder is purchased and used, and freshly ground coffee is tasted, you will probably not go back to store bought ground coffee.

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