What to look for in a coffee grinder

The freshest coffee starts with the freshest coffee beans. Before you can add your coffee to your coffee maker and enjoy a hot cup in the morning, you’ll need to grind the beans in a coffee grinder.

Why you need a coffee grinder

There are so many different reasons to own a coffee grinder, but most people choose one to improve the quality of their coffee. Prepackaged ground coffee is stale before it even makes its way off the shelf, and if you don’t choose the right grind for the type of coffee you’re making, you’re not going to be able to make the best cup of coffee.

You may also choose to bring home a grinder so you can have control over the type of grind for different types of coffee. A French Press requires a different type of grind than an espresso shot, and with a grinder you can switch between the two using the same bag of beans.

Types of Coffee Grinder

There are two main types of coffee grinder: burr grinders and blade grinders.

Blade Coffee Grinders

A blade coffee grinder has blades that slice up your coffee beans into large chunks. The longer you run a blade grinder, the finer your coffee grind will be.

Blade grinders are great for a first time home grinder, and some models will have timers so you can set it and get the precise grind you’re looking for.

Burr Coffee Grinders

A burr coffee grinder has two burs inside that will either stay still or rotate via the motor. A burr grinder will crush your beans instead of slicing them, and this type of grinder is much more precise than a blade grinder. You can find this type of coffee grinder in two different styles: flat burr and conical burr.

Flat burr coffee grinder

If you’ve ever heard the word ‘centrifugal’ in relation to juicers, you’ll more easily understand how a flat burr grinder works. It has discs that move together and apart for specific types of coffee grinds, and it uses centrifugal force to push these beans toward the grinder.

Conical burr coffee grinder

The difference between a flat burr grinder and a conical burr grinder comes down to the size of the coffee particles. A conical burr grinder will produce large and small coffee grinds, while a flat burr grinder will produce even sized particles. Conical burr grinders also grind at a lower RPM than flat burr grinders and use less heat when grinding.

According to coffee experts, a flat burr grinder will let you create grinds that allow for longer pulls on an espresso machine. That longer pulls will let you get really creative with your espresso drinks.

Different features you can find on coffee grinders

A coffee grinder can be as simple or as complex as you’d like. You can find coffee grinders that let you just pour the beans inside, hold the grinder, and press until you reach the consistency you’d like. You can also find coffee grinders with next level features that let you control every part of the coffee grinding process.

Dose control

Dose control is available on some models of coffee grinder. When you have dose control your grinder will release the same amount of coffee beans every time, even when you change the grind size.

Multiple grind settings

Some models of coffee grinder have several different grind settings so you can choose the exact grind for you.

Different sizes for grinds

Some coffee grinders are available with capacity for different cup sizes, and you can grind beans for one cup of coffee up to 14 cups.

Digital displays

There are models of coffee grinder with LCD displays, letting you easily see which type of grind you’re choosing and how long you have left in the grind cycle.

Removable bean hoppers

A removable bean hopper is helpful when adding coffee beans to the coffee grinder.

Choose your favourite coffee grind brand

Your brand of choice for coffee maker may also become your favourite brand for coffee grinder. You can find coffee grinders from great brands including Breville, Cuisinart, Bodum, KitchenAid, Delonghi, and Oxo.

If you’re ready to grind your own beans and enjoy the freshest cup of coffee, take a look at all of the coffee grinders available right now on Best Buy.