There’s truly nothing like waking up to a brew of freshly ground coffee beans! In fact, one of the most frequent questions we’ve been asked lately is about what type of grinder would we recommend buying. Knowing there are many great options in the market - some of which we haven’t had the chance to try ourselves personally - we thought we would give you some essential aspects to consider, both in your purchase journey, and keeping your grinder - and coffee experience - at its best!
Get a “burr grinder” - i.e. make sure that your grinder uses two rotating burr plates or burr cones for grinding your beans. This is the most consistent type of grinder design, as it is the distance between the burrs that determines your grind size. This means you’ll always get a very uniform, consistent grind - which is essential for consistently great cups of coffee in every method!
Get a grinder that matches your most used coffee preparation method. This is particularly important if you do mostly Espresso - Espresso grinders are designed differently, with burrs that are particularly close to each other, for the ultra-fine grind needed for Espresso. A ‘standard’ grinder that grinds everything from coarse grinds to “Espresso” will never be able to match the grind quality of a true Espresso grinder. So, if you have mostly a Espresso household, we would highly recommend getting a Espresso grinder, and we’ll always be happy to send you a coarsely ground bag for your Cold Brew or medium grind for your Drip (we always have those options on the drop-down menu on each coffee). Espresso grind is also the only grind we don’t offer in our beans, because the grind size needed is very dependent on calibration with your machine, and it is so extremely fine that the coffee will oxidize in a matter of hours after grinding.
Know - and use - your budget. The amount you’re willing to spend on your new grinder will generally be the most useful factor when narrowing your choices. Some of the things you can expect at higher price levels are better build and materials (i.e. stainless steel vs. some plastic parts on cheaper models), easier maintenance (i.e. easier to clean / take apart), and quieter operation (i.e. cheaper machines are always much louder), and perhaps some other extra features (i.e. grinding directly into the filter/portafilter, which also saves you some cleanup). Comparing options within your budget range is always a great way to make decision you’ll be very happy with! The best machine for you probably won’t be the cheapest, or the most expensive (certain brands have a hefty markup just for their “name”) - it is the one that has everything you need -and most of what you want- for the amount you’d like to spend!
Learn from the experience of others - if you know someone who owns the particular grinder you’re considering buying, asking if they would buy it again. Or, if you don’t personally know anyone, read at least a few of the most recent reviews, and pay attention to those recurring themes or attributes mentioned by the most detailed reviews (generally the most trustworthy).
Keep it up! Once you’ve made your decision, make sure you keep your grinder working at its best by doing a deep cleaning (i.e. take apart and clean the burrs with a brush) every 1-3 months depending on your use and type of beans (i.e. more often if you love dark, slightly oily roasts - like our current “Amani”). Avoid cleaning agents - all you need is a good brush (or a vacuum cleaner if a bean is ever “stuck”). Grinders are generally very easy to maintain, and can last a long time (ours is over 5 years old), especially when you’re using only fresh, high-quality beans. Also, be sure to never store beans in your hopper’s grinder - it will oxidize them more quickly, and if you live in a humid environment (like Florida!), the beans will absorb some of the humidity in the air and oxidize even quicker, and they may “cake” and overheat your machine as you grind them. Keep your beans inside their bag, on a cool, dark place in your pantry and just use what you need!
We hope this was helpful and please know we’re always here for you if you need us! So, so grateful for our busiest summer yet!
💛 Jolian & Lisbeth
P.S. The 2022 crop of “Rio Coco” from Nicaragua, just came in on Friday! It is remarkable this year - the sweetness and cocoa notes are off the charts! We’ll be sharing samples with all your orders this next week!