Grinding the Coffee Bean
If you like your coffee fresh, then grinding at home is a must. As soon as coffee beans are ground, they start to oxidise, losing flavour and aroma. A good rule is to simply grind what you need, when you need it.
The grade of grind required is directly related to the brewing method. Slow brew methods require larger particles, and this would include filter coffee makers and cafetieres. Stove top coffee makers require a medium to fine grind, and espresso machines require a fine, even grind, but not powder. To do the job grinders can be split into two categories, blade and burr.
Blade coffee grinders, as the name suggests rely on a high speed motor which turns a blade. The blade chops the coffee beans, and the longer you grind, the finer the grind of coffee. These grinders are very compact, but are only suitable for filter coffee makers and cafetieres, which require a coarse grind. Blade grinders produce inconsistent results, some particles will be small, some large. This inconsistency is unsuitable for espresso coffee machines. Another downside to the blade coffee grinder is that due to the speed of the blade, the coffee can be heated during the grinding process which can adversely affect the flavour of the coffee.
Burr coffee grinders are made up of two burrs, which rotate against each other, crushing the beans. There are two different types of burr grinder, conical, and disk. The conical grinder is made up of two cone shaped burrs, whereas the disk grinder uses two flat ring shaped burrs. Conical burr grinders have a slight edge over disk burr grinders as they produce a little less heat as they grind more slowly. Some burr grinders do have mechanisms to slow the speed of a high speed motor, such as geared speed reduction. This allows a grinder to have a powerful motor, but a slow grinding speed to preserve aroma, and reduce heating. Other grinders also offer options such as dosing, allowing the coffee to be ground and measured straight into the filter holder. Burr grinders produce a much greater consistency of grind and offer a variety of grinds, making them the ideal choice not just for espresso, but all brewing methods. If you love coffee, a burr grinder is the perfect (perhaps the only!) choice.
You can view our full range of Coffee Grinders HERE |
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