Coffee Grinder Buying Guide

Not everyone is a coffee connoisseur, but those that are know just what a pleasure freshly ground coffee can be. Grounds are readily available in most supermarkets, but it’s getting your own grind of bean just right that produces the perfect cup of coffee.

Many coffee blends, especially those used in cafes, aren’t available in ground form, so having a grinder at home opens up a host of new tastes beyond the grocery aisle fare.

Cost and Usage

How much to spend on a grinder has a lot to do with the amount of use it’s likely to see in the house, and the kind of functionality one is after. Simple grinder models are available for under $50, and these are designed to offer consistent grinds in small volumes with few options.

Coffee Grinder 

As models rise in price, more features are added that make each grinder more flexible than the last. These features include the ability to grind larger amounts of beans, or feeding beans through a canister at the top of the appliance. Extra controls allow users to get into the nitty gritty of the grind, and select exactly the right level of coarseness for the best coffee.

Investing in a high-quality manual coffee machine should also mean picking up a full-featured grinder. The above features, plus the ease of use enables significant experimentation with various beans and grinds.

Grinding: How Often?

Coffee Grinder

 

Most baristas agree espresso is best when freshly ground, and having a machine that remembers that grind and the amount required for each shot will save time with every cup.  A model with electronic controls and grind setting memory is perfect for grind-on-demand coffee.

Coffee can be ground in bulk, but you should never grind more than you’ll use in three days.

Grinds Required for Different Coffee Methods

Coffee Method: French Press
Grind: Coarse

Coffee Method: Macchinetta/Moka Pot
Grind: Fine

Coffee Method: Espresso Machine
Grind: Superfine