Coffee Cuppa :: Cuppa Tea

Coffee Grinders for Your Brewing Needs

February 13, 2008 – 7:11 am

Before choosing the coffee grinder you will use to prepare your perfect cup of coffee, take a moment to understand that how the coffee is ground will affect the taste. As well as the very distinct differences in flavor in the different beans used, there are large taste variations within different coffee beans depending on how each is ground. Coarsely ground beans will result in a mild flavor, more finely ground beans allow more flavor into the brew.

Different palates interpret these varying brew strengths in different ways; a full-bodied strong brew may be too strong to others, and may even taste ‘burnt’. Larger, coarse grounds are typically milder in flavor, and are generally used as light breakfast blends; while finer grounds are perfect for darker, richer, Turkish coffee and espresso.

These are the three methods used for making coffee grounds, and the three different types of coffee grinders for your brewing needs are currently available on the market today. Keep in mind when you are choosing from the many different grinders available that there is a wide range of available models in all price ranges, so finding coffee grinders that will work for you and your budget won’t be an impossible task.

Burr Mills

The first type of coffee grinder to consider is the burr mill. Burr mill type grinders operate by grinding the coffee beans between two wheels, creating very little frictional heat. The grinders produce relatively even grounds, which will ultimately give you the best flavor for your coffee. You can purchase burr grinders in both electric models and manual models; and the majority of burr grinders can be set to produce a finer or coarser ground.

Chopping Mills

Chopping mills are the most common type of grinders you will find in the majority of homes. This is mainly due to the fact that they are the cheapest of all coffee grinders, and the fact that they will generally outlast other types of coffee grinders. The downside to chopping mills is that they tend to produce uneven grounds, which ultimately produces an inferior cup of coffee.

Pounding

Although technically not one of the types of grinders, per se; pounding coffee is yet another method of grinding coffee for your use. Pounding is typically done using a mortar and pestle, and produces ultra fine grounds that are required for making Turkish coffee. You can achieve roughly the same grind with most of the burr mill coffee grinders, but the best flavor will come from grinding the beans by hand.

Choosing the right coffee grinder for your brewing needs will add to your coffee experience. It is one of the areas over which you have some control in the final outcome. The coffee beans have been grown, graded, blended tasted and packaged by others before you buy. Now you are able to influence the final flavor. Select your coffee grinder, and experiment with different coffee bean blends and grinding levels to achieve the tastes you desire.