Coffee Grinders

Welcome to coffee-grinders.com. This is the best place to find top-notch coffee grinders. As specialists, we have developed an extensive knowledge of the coffee grinder industry that allows us to meet your needs and to offer you the best products from around the globe. We do not carry the inferior blade grinders that you see at large retail outlets, which tend to overheat the beans and change their flavor as they operate. Our products are all burr coffee grinders, flexible enough to provide several degrees of fineness in the grind, and precision-engineered to avoid overheating.

We offer both home and commercial coffee grinders. We can provide big machines capable of serving large number of customers, and we also have a vast array of home machines that are both quiet and efficient. We also carry the sleekest Italian models at competitive prices. We hope you will love the aroma of the freshly ground coffee as you prepare your own brew from newly roasted beans. Whether in the café or your own kitchen, a pot of coffee brewed from freshly ground beans always carries a special aroma and flavor that can’t be duplicated.

A Buyer's Guide to Understanding Coffee Grinders

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to experience the taste of fresh ground coffee. There is nothing like the taste and aroma found in a hot cup of coffee that was made from freshly ground coffee beans. The time it takes to grind your own coffee is well worth it as you simply can't achieve the same wonderful results if you purchase packaged pre-ground coffee. Once the coffee bean has been ground it begins to lose its aroma and subtle flavors thus altering its character. Although subject to debate, the general "life span" of ground coffee can be as little as few hours to a few days. Preferably, you should only grind as much coffee as needed for each pot of coffee or shot of espresso.

The number of coffee roasters and supermarkets who offer whole bean coffee has swelled in recent years and most offer some very good coffee blends and regional coffees. To experience the finest of what the coffee bean has to offer, we strongly suggest you grind your own coffee. There are many coffee grinders to choose from out there, but the task of finding the best one may be a little easier after reading this short guide to coffee grinders.

Before we talk about coffee grinders we first want to define the different coffee "grinds".

Course Grind: As the name implies, the grinds are fairly large. This grind is suitable for percolators, coffee presses, pour through makers, and drip coffee makers.

Medium Grind: This grind is known as the general purpose grind for all coffee makers. The size of the grounds resembles the consistency of table salt. However, you would not want to use this grind setting for making espresso.

Fine Grind: This grind setting would be used for espresso primarily, but it also works well with drip and pour through coffee makers. Because the grind is finer, there is more surface area for the water to come in contact with. This generally offers a richer and stronger flavor.

Turkish Grind: This is the finest of all grinds and closely resembles a powdered sugar like consistency. This grind is commonly used with commercial espresso machines and home espresso machines without crema enhancing devices. This grind will allow water to extract the most flavor out of the coffee in the shortest time. Most home coffee grinders will be unable to produce a Turkish grind as it requires a powerful grinding mechanism. Most coffee grinders found in bulk coffee sections of supermarkets and coffee stores are capable of producing a Turkish grind.

Many manufacturers offer fairly decent coffee grinders these days. Before choosing what coffee grinder to buy, you have to determine what type of coffee maker you are using. Various coffee makers and espresso machines require different size coffee grounds from fairly course to very fine. Below we provide a list of the three most common coffee grinders found on the market and provide a short description of each.

This grinder consists of a small barrel with a sharp metal blade that spins at a very high rate of speed. It chops the coffee beans repeatedly until the desired consistency is reached. The fineness of the coffee grounds is determined by the length of time you activate the grinder. This is the most commonly seen coffee grinder making appearances at nearly every kitchen supply store, department store, and supermarket.

Grinding applications: Course, Medium, Fine (but not recommended for espresso due to poor grind consistency).

Advantages: The blade grinder is usually the least expensive of all grinders. It usually features ease of maintenance and it is adequate for most coffee makers such as coffee presses, drip coffee makers, and pour through coffee makers. For those who are budget conscious, the blade grinder might be a good choice.

Disadvantages: If you are willing to spend more money for a better coffee grinder we recommend buying a burr grinder (explained below). The disadvantage to the blade coffee grinder is that the uniformity of the grounds is lacking. By chopping the beans, the blade is unable to cut the beans into consistently sized pieces or grounds. The result will be relatively large pieces mixed with small pieces. They also tend to burn the coffee grounds due to the high heat produced during the grinding process. You will notice a remarkable difference in the flavor of your coffee as compared to more expensive grinders.

The burr grinding method is the most recommended for nearly every coffee brewing application and they are gaining popularity with consumers. They grind coffee beans by crushing them between a grinding wheel and stationary grind surface (versus chopping like a blade grinder). Burr grinders come in two main formats. The first and usually the least expensive is the "Wheel Type" burr grinder. The second and often more expensive type is the "Conical Burr Grinder."

Flat Burr Grinder: This utilizes a wheel with burrs molded into it. The wheel spins at a very high speed which gives off the characteristic high pitched whining noise. The coffee beans fall through the grinding chute which are then crushed between the grinding wheel and a stationary grinding surface. Mazzer Super Jolly is an example of a flat burr coffee grinder.

Grinding applications: Course, Medium, Fine

Advantages: They offer a much better grind consistency and don't tend to burn the coffee grounds as much as a blade grinder. They work well as a general purpose grinder from coffee presses up to most espresso machines. Many now feature a timer that allows you to set the duration the grinder will grind. You can set it to grind from 2-12 cups and it will shut off when the desired amount of coffee grounds has been achieved based on the number of cups of coffee you wish to make.

Disadvantages: They tend to be louder than a blade grinder or conical grinder. Because the grinding wheel is spinning so fast the coffee grounds are flung out the grounds chute. This sometimes causes the grinder chute to clog especially when oily or flavored coffee beans are used. Finally, they also tend to develop a static charge which causes the grounds to stick to the inside of the grounds catcher (simply remove the catcher after grinder has stopped and lightly tamp it on the counter to solve this problem).

Conical Burr Grinder: The best type! This utilizes a cone shaped grinding wheel that grinds against a stationary grinding surface. The coned shaped wheel spins at very slow speeds. The coffee beans fall through the grinding chute which are then crushed between the grinding wheel and a stationary grinding surface.

Grinding applications: Course, Medium, Fine - works better than a wheel type burr grinder for espresso!

Advantages: The main advantages over a wheel type burr grinder are the fact the grinding cone spins much slower producing a much better grind consistency, virtually no burning of the grounds, little or no static charge, and they tend to clog less. They are more tolerant of oily and flavored coffee beans. They work well as a general purpose grinder from drip coffee makers to all espresso machines. Many now feature a timer that allows you to set the duration the grinder will grind. You can set it to grind from 2-12 cups and it will shut off when the desired amount of coffee grounds has been achieved based on the number of cups of coffee you wish to make. Disadvantages: They usually cost more than wheel type burr grinders otherwise we can't really see any other reasons not to buy one!