There’s no arguing that a fresh cup of coffee in the morning or in the afternoon for a pick-me-up is what most coffee lovers crave. While there’s nothing wrong with stopping into your local coffee shop for a fresh cup, being able to make it at home is convenient and can save you a lot of money.
The best way to get that coffee shop flavor at home is to use a coffee grinder to grind all your coffee beans fresh. Not everyone uses a coffee grinder to make their coffee at home. Primarily, buying pre-ground beans is cheaper. But is getting a coffee grinder worth it?
Overall, yes! Purchasing a coffee grinder is extremely useful in upping your coffee game at home.
What Do Coffee Grinders Do?
Coffee grinders grind your coffee beans into a fine powder that you can use to make a cup or pot of coffee. While it’s pretty apparent that a coffee grinder is there to grind the coffee beans into a powder, they’re vital in extracting the bold aromas and flavors of the beans right before you brew a cup or pot.
Does Grinding Your Own Coffee With a Coffee Grinder Make a Difference in the Coffee’s Taste?
Absolutely! There’s nothing wrong with using pre-ground coffee for your coffee, but when you grind your coffee beans fresh each morning or a few days before using, you’ll be getting the best flavor possible from the beans.
If you purchase the exact same type of coffee, one in whole beans and another in pre-ground, when you grind the whole beans and brew a cup of coffee of each type, you’ll be able to tell the difference between the two.
Once you start grinding your own coffee beans at home and brewing coffee, you’ll never want to go back to using pre-ground coffee unless you’re in a bind again. Yes, grinding your own coffee is an extra step, but how much better the coffee tastes makes it worth it.
What Makes a Good Coffee Grinder?
If you’ve spent any time shopping for a coffee grinder, you’ve probably noticed several different types and brands to choose from. How do you know what to buy and what will be worth the money?
There are two main types of coffee grinders: a blade and a burr grinder. A burr coffee grinder is generally the preferred type because it uses rotating disks to grind the coffee beans, unlike a blade grinder which uses sharp blades.
Blade coffee grinders are easier to break and, therefore, not always the best to invest your money in.
What ultimately makes a good coffee grinder will last for several grind cycles without wearing too much or breaking and will maintain the delicious flavor of the coffee throughout the grinding process.
How to Choose a Good Coffee Grinder
Most people will agree that you should invest in a burr coffee grinder over a blade one. The choice is up to you. Burr grinders tend to be a bit more expensive, but they’re worth it.
You have more decisions to make after you’ve decided on a burr or blade coffee grinder. If you choose to go with a burr grinder, there are several choices. You can get a manual burr grinder where you’ll hand crank the appliance until you achieve the desired fineness.
Other options include flat burr grinders, which allow you to choose the fineness level or conical burr grinds are the quietest.
Blade coffee grinders somewhat resemble a blender. You can’t choose the fineness level with these coffee grinders per se. How fine the coffee beans become is solely determined by how long you run the grinder.
Next, you need to consider the price. If money is no object for you, then this factor won’t be something you need to consider. Manual burr grinders are the most affordable because they rely on your energy to grind the coffee beans.
Electric coffee grinders are more expensive because they save you time and energy when grinding the coffee beans. While they’re more expensive, they’re handy and are an effortless way to get fresh coffee.
So, choosing a good coffee grinder will depend on your needs. Burr grinders are generally the better option but deciding between a manual and electric will come down to your preferences.
Should You Get a Coffee Grinder?
If you want to bring out the best flavors in your cup of coffee, then yes. You should invest in a coffee grinder. The best part is that they’re not super expensive, and when you take care of them, they’ll last you for a long time.
Alternatives to Buying a Coffee Grinder
If you’re still on the fence about buying a coffee grinder for your home, there are alternatives to doing so that will give you fresh ground coffee.
Use a Food Processor
While you may not have a coffee grinder lying around, you’re more likely to have a food processor. These are great tools to use to grind coffee beans. They’re similar to using a blade coffee grinder.
You’ll need to pulse the beans several times to get a consistent grind, and even still, they may not be perfect. While it may not be as consistent as using a coffee grinder, it’s still an alternative to consider.
Use a Rolling Pin
If you want to go old-school and grind the coffee beans by hand, you can use your handy dandy rolling pin. You’ll want to make sure that the beans are in a clear bag so as not to make a huge mess.
You can monitor how fine the beans are grinding as you roll over the beans. This will take a lot more time, but it’s still an effective method for fresh ground coffee.
Use a Spice Grinder
Last but not least, if you have a spice grinder, you can use it for coffee beans. You’ll fill the grinder and grind until they’re fine. Be sure to clean the spice grinder before and after using it for coffee beans.
