Coffee Bean Grinder

In order to choose the right type of coffee bean grinder or coffee machine with a built in coffee grinder we need to take a look at the different types of coffee grinders that are available on the market. Generally there are three types of coffee bean grinders to grind coffee, the automatic blade grinders, automatic burr grinders and manual burr or blade grinders.

Each type of coffee bean grinder has it’s own advantages and disadvantages in the grinding process which you’ll soon discover. In this article I’ll be covering Blade coffee grinders and in another article I’ll be covering Burr coffee grinders.

Blade Coffee Grinders

Coffee Bean Grinder

This type of coffee bean grinder is known as a coffee blade grinder because it uses a cutting blade action to grind. When grinding the coffee beans the blade acts like a mini food processor, by cutting the coffee beans up into small pieces.

Blade coffee grinders whether they be an electric blade grinder or a manual blade grinder require you to monitor the grinding process. Basically the longer you grind the coffee beans for the smaller the coffee grounds become.

In order to achieve different sized coffee granules for your type of coffee machine you’ll need to alter the amount of time you spend grinding. When you use a coffee bean grinder to grind coffee for an espresso machine you can use a blade grinder but it will take about 1 minute or even longer to reach a fine ground. In this instance a burr grinder is better suited for espresso coffee grinding.

If you prefer making coffee with a drip coffee maker you’ll need to use coarser granules of coffee which can take up to a forty-five seconds to process the coffee beans through the coffee bean grinder. A good rule of thumb is the longer you use the grinder for the finer the coffee granules will become.The best part about a coffee blade grinder is they’re very affordable, easy to clean and easy to operate. They also make a perfect gift and you can generally you can pay as little as $9 or up to $60 for this coffee bean grinder. I guess it pays to shop around online before you hand over your money.

Earlier in the piece I mentioned that coffee blade grinders lack several qualities (disadvantages) when grinding the coffee beans. This is because of the inconsistency of the blades grinding the coffee and the duration that the beans are being ground for, let me explain.

As the blade whizzes around the chamber the coffee beans are being cut into uneven sizes which produces coffee granules ranging from fine to coarse. This unfortunately will effect the overall quality of the brew because the coffee grounds are inconsistent.

In this grinding process the blade is constantly moving which creates friction that heats up the blades and the coffee. When coffee blades heats up the surface of the coffee beans they begin to oxidize which starts the process of releasing aromatics. When the coffee is exposed for too long it could make your coffee taste burnt.

Coffee beans are ground using a coffee bean grinder to make it easier to extract the flavorful oils from the coffee beans. The flavorful oils is what is used to make a wonderful coffee brew. When fine ground coffee is used in a coffee machine that requires large grains the machine will produce bitter tasting coffee. This is due to the large amount of flavorful oils being released.

This scenario also works in reverse, for instance if you use coarse grains in an espresso machine you’ll have a weak tasting coffee with no crema. The reason for this is the coffee grounds are too large and they need time to steep. This makes large grain coffee ideal for a percolator.

Unfortunately coffee blade grinders aren’t consistent in their grinding process and are unable to produce a uniformed sized coffee grain for one type of coffee machine. For a coffee drinker the uneven taste might be O.K but for a trained palate it will leave an unpleasant bitter taste. A coffee connoisseur will describe this type of coffee as having an “uneven” flavor or it’s just “undrinkable”.

When you consider that manual and automatic coffee blade grinders produce uneven sized coffee grains, and can burn the coffee through the grinding process does price point and ease of use seem to be so important?

For a coffee drinker who is serious about quality tasting coffee choose the right coffee bean grinder for your coffee machine.