Grinding Coffee Beans
All grinds are not created equal.
No matter how much you want to see the two of them get together, certain grinds are simply not compatible with certain coffee makers. Learn how to pair grind-type with coffee machine to create the perfect match.
Grinding at Home vs. at the StoreThere’s no doubt grinders are fun gadgets for coffee-lovers, but do you need a home grinder? That depends. A home grinder is perfect for someone who buys more than two week’s worth of beans at a time. The coffee’s flavor will last longer if the beans are kept whole, then ground right before brewing. The downside is it can be a little messy and adds a bit more time to the coffee-making process. However, if you only buy coffee for a week or two, there’s no reason you can’t get it ground where you bought it; it’s free, convenient, and the coffee will maintain great flavor for up to two weeks.Convenience issues aside, there is something to be said for indulging in the ritual of preparing each cup of coffee, beginning to end. “Because it’s fun” is as good a reason as any to grind fresh beans each morning.
The Daily Grind
If you decide to use a home grinder, there’s a small learning curve, but it’s completely doable.
An easy way to get started is to purchase a small amount of beans, ground for your machine, to use at home as a reference point. If you don’t have a sample, test by grinding a very small amount of beans (one tablespoon is plenty), then put them in the palm of your hand. Squeeze into a fist, and when you release your hand you’ll want to see different results depending on your brewing method:
* French Press (coarse grind): the grounds should not stick together.
* Automatic Flat Bottom (medium grind): some of the grounds should stick together, but most should fall away.
* Automatic Cone, Gold Cone, and Steam-driven Espresso Machine (medium-fine): most should stick together, but you should still be able to see individual particles easily.
* Pump-driven Espresso Machine (fine): most grounds should stick together, possibly falling away in clumps, but they shouldn’t be so fine they appear to completely melt together.
Choosing a Home Grinder
There are two types of grinders:
- Blade Grinder: grinds beans using a blade that twirls like the blade of a blender–best for medium and coarse grinds. You can find a quality one for as little as $20, but the drawback is they don’t produce a very consistent grind. The blade rotates, chopping whatever happens to be in its way, making some particles slightly larger than others (which is less of an issue with medium and coarse grinds).
- Burr Grinder: grinds beans between two horizontal metal burrs, creating a very even, consistent grind. Burr grinders can handle fine to coarse easily, but are especially good for medium-fine to fine grinds, where uniformity in the coffee particles is important. This type of grinder is perfect for someone who is constantly grinding for different types of machines. The biggest drawback is price–most cost between $45-$100.