It is essential for you to have your own coffee grinder if you are a coffee addict. This appliance allows you to have freshly ground coffee beans that taste better than pre-ground coffee. Coffee grinders come in several types. However, not all of the types of coffee grinders are good for you.
Types of Coffee Grinders You Can Have
When you are shopping for a coffee grinder, you will find several types to choose. For those who never purchased this appliance before, choosing the right type of coffee grinder can be confusing. Therefore, it is essential to understand more about these coffee grinders.
1. Manual Coffee Grinders
If you have this type of coffee grinder, you must operate it by turning the crank handle. Manual coffee grinders come in different capacities. Some grinders allow you to crank a small amount of coffee beans in one go and others enable you to crank more amount of coffee beans in one go.
Manual coffee grinders are affordable and allow you to cut electricity bills. However, it may not be suitable for you who lead a busy life. Grinding coffee beans using this appliance takes time and energy, especially if you need to cater more than one cup of coffee.
This type of coffee grinder is quiet and comes in a wide range of designs. You can choose one with a simple and modern design or one with an exotic design. The latter will make your kitchen look more attractive.
Manual coffee grinders are not equipped with any grinder settings. As a result, you must adjust the grind size on your own. If you need fine grind, you need to grind the coffee beans in a longer duration.
2. Travel Coffee Grinders
If you are a coffee addict who loves camping and traveling, it is essential for you to have a travel coffee grinder. It is a compact manual coffee grinder and has a small capacity so that it fits to your backpack perfectly.
Moreover, it has a sleek design that looks modern and attractive. If you have this travel coffee grinder, you can have freshly ground coffee anywhere, even at places where there is no electricity.
3. Electric Blade Coffee Grinders
If you don’t want to grind your coffee manually, an electric blade coffee grinder can be your best option. Compared to other electric coffee grinder models, blade coffee grinder is more affordable. It is equipped with a long blade at its chamber.
The blade rotates and chops the coffee beans rapidly when you turn the grinder on. This coffee grinder is easier to clean than other electric grinders. However, the blade models have some drawbacks.
When the blade is rotating rapidly for too long, it will generate heat. This heat will affect the taste of the coffee. In addition, this coffee grinder produces uneven ground coffee. Therefore, you will get inconsistent coffee quality.
Another drawback of this type of coffee grinder is that it is noisy. It can be very annoying for some coffee lovers. This appliance is also relatively messy. It is not equipped with grinder settings so that if you need to get fine ground coffee, you need to press down the grinder in a longer period.
In spite of the drawbacks above, the blade coffee grinder is perfect for a small kitchen because it doesn’t take up much space. Moreover, this low-cost grinder will satisfy most coffee lovers.
4. Electric Burr Coffee Grinders
Electric burr coffee grinders are popular among coffee lovers. In general, a burr coffee grinder is more expensive than ablade coffee grinder. However, it offers some benefits that most cafes have this type of grinder.
This coffee grinder is equipped with grinder settings. Therefore, you can set the grind size easily. This coffee grinder also produces consistent ground coffee size.
The electric burr coffee grinder is equipped with stainless steel burr or ceramic burr so that it does not generate heat when grinding coffee beans. Based on the burr type, this quiet coffee grinder is differentiated in two types.
Electric Flat Coffee Grinders
The flat coffee grinder has flat grinder wheels. It is more affordable than the other type of burr coffee grinder. It also produces super consistent coffee and is perfect for espresso lovers. However, it is a bit noisier and messier than the conical model.
Electric Conical Burr Coffee Grinders
The conical burr coffee grinder is quiet and makes less mess. Most coffee lovers consider it as an ideal coffee grinder and love to have it at home. However, this conical model is more expensive and difficult to clean.
How to Choose the Right Coffee Grinder
Each of the types of coffee grinders above offers some advantages and drawbacks. In order to get the right one, you need to choose the coffee grinder with considerations.
1. Your Habit in Drinking Coffee
Your habit in drinking coffee is the first thing you need to consider in choosing a coffee grinder. If you only drink one or two cups of coffee at home, having a manual or blade coffee grinder is enough for you. If you drink lots of coffee a day, the electric burr model is the best choice.
2. The Grinding Feature
Some electric coffee grinders have a pulse button, auto grind feature, or timed grinding feature. The first requires you to push the button until the coffee beans have ground. Meanwhile, the second allows you to push the button once and the grinder will grind the coffee automatically.
The third feature enables you to set the grinding time. When the time is up, the grinder will stop grinding the coffee automatically.
3. Number of Grinding Settings
Different coffee grinders have different numbers of grinding settings. If you love brewing coffee in most typical brew styles, it is better to choose one with 30 to 40 settings. If you want to brew your coffee in all brew styles, you need to choose one with more than 40 settings.
4. Portafilter or Container
Some coffee grinders grind coffee beans and pour the ground coffee into a portafilter holder and others pour it into a container. If you love making espresso, you need one that pours the coffee to a portafilter holder.
5. RPM
Coffee grinder with higher RPM can produce coffee that is more consistent. However, higher RPM may generate heat that affects the taste of the coffee. Therefore, you need to be careful in considering the RPM.
Some coffee lovers choose to have two types of coffee grinders, i.e. the electric coffee grinder and the travel coffee grinder. If you also think that one coffee grinder is not enough, you can have another one to meet your needs.