Coffee Grinder-Buying Guide
One of the biggest mistakes people make is to invest such a lot of money in their coffee machine and then skimp on the grinder. Or even avoid buying a grinder at all and then wonder why the coffee doesn’t taste that good. Ask any good barista and they will tell you that a good grinder is one of the most essential bits of the kit, in fact some experts say that you should spend at least half your coffee machine budget on your grinder. So why is it so important?
Extraction, Extraction, Extraction
It’s all about extraction. Which in coffee speak is how the water gets the flavour out of the coffee. Let’s get down to basics. An ideal length of shot for an espresso is 23-28 seconds. The coarseness of the grind will affect how quickly the water can travel through the coffee. The right grind will ensure the time is right and the coffee great.
And remember to only grind as you need as freshness is key to taste.
What To Look For When You Are Buying a Coffee Grinder
Burr v Blade
A burr will give you a more even grind than a blade so opt for this if you can. Burrs come in two types-conical and flat burrs. The jury is a little out on which one is best, both will produce a great grind for espresso. We guess the main difference is that the conical burrs spin slower resulting in less heat transference to the coffee. But that said we have used both and don’t see a huge difference.
Stepped v Unstepped
In plain English this means how you decide the size of your grind. Many budget grinders decide this for you by offering you distinct settings according to the coffee you are making. Stepless on the other hand allows you to be in total control. We guess this is all about personal taste. The key to remember if you are brewing espresso is to ensure your beans get a ‘fine’ grind.
Timer
Some grinders will allow you to set a timer on the grind to ensure that you get the right amount of ground coffee and that you get consistency every time. We think timers are a great idea, particularly on saving on waste.
Doser v Doserless
This is all about whether you want to ground your beans directly into the portafilter or transfer them on. We’ve used both and can’t believe you would ever not want to! Grinding straight into the portafilter means you get less spillage and it’s just easier!