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Coffee Grinders Buying Guide

Coffee grinders  are a great way to get the fresh taste of a new brew right in your home. For coffee  lovers, grinding your own beans  has several advantages over buying grounds. Whole beans stay fresh and strong for weeks, and grinding coffee beans releases the flavors and aroma that can be lost when using grounds that aren't fresh. So if you like coffee for breakfast  and even the occasional espresso  after dinner, now you can have control over the strength and flavor of your grounds. Coffee grinding is serious business, so make sure you have the top machine on the market that suits your needs and is within your price range.

How to Choose

There are two main types of grinders that you will typically see when shopping. Unless you are grinding massive amounts of coffee (say, for a café) then you don't really need a commercial grinder.  They do boast exceptional speed and power for a large capacity machine, however, they tend to be quite bulky for home use. Below are two types of home models to choose from. But first, ask yourself a few questions:

• How much do you want to spend?
• How often do you grind coffee?
• How important it is for you to retain the fullest flavor of the bean?
• Do you need the machine to work exceptionally for making drip coffee and espresso?

Types

Blade Grinders  Usually less expensive than burr grinders. Quick grinding. Take up very little counter space. Can be used to grind other things in the kitchen. Sharp metal blade pulverizes the bean at a consistent speed until desired texture is reached. The heat produced by the spinning blade may affect the taste of the coffee because it can burn the beans. Can be difficult to clean. Not recommended for getting a very fine consistency that is needed when making espresso or Turkish coffee, however, it does do the trick for the average user.

Burr Grinders  Generally preferred by coffee enthusiasts. Strips slivers of bean from the surface and exposes more area than a blade grinder. More surface area means coffee that is more flavorful. Produces less heat than blade grinding, preserving the aromatics of the coffee. These grinders do not get oily and often make the best coffee. More expensive. Two types of Burr Grinders: Wheel Burr or Flat-Plates  are sometimes messy and loud, but they are good for espresso. Conical grinders  are fine for oily or flavored coffees and espresso.

Classy Coffee Grinders

Who would know coffee grinders better than the CoffeeGeek? The site's top picks are:

Best Home Grinder for Espresso Aficionados Mazzer Mini  Rated 9.4 with 37 reviews Price: $400+	The Former Reigning Champ Rancilio Rocky  Rated 8.5 with 52 reviews Price: $250-270	Most Grind For Your Buck Starbucks/Solis Barista Grinder  Rated 8.2 with 70 reviews Price: $120

Still not satisfied? Below, a few more recommendations.

Black & Decker CBG100W Coffee Grinder  This coffee grinder has a pulse control to quickly grind coffee beans and nuts. It comes in a sleek design and is small enough to fit in any kitchen. In addition to the model above, also check out the Black & Decker CBG100S Coffee Grinder  in black for the same quality with a different design.	B&D CG800B Spacemaker Coffee Grinder and Chopper  This grinder truly does save space and gets the job done at the same time. Designed to mount underneath your cabinet, this model features a grinder and chopper blade that can be switched at your convenience, in addition to pulse control.	Mr. Coffee IDS77 Electric Coffee Grinder with Chamber Maid Cleaning System  This coffee maker comes with three grind settings: fine, medium and coarse. This model even cleans itself while it goes by clearing the grounds from the chamber walls and producing up to 12 cups of coffee. A wide lid for pouring and spout for filling make this sleek grinder top in its class.

Grinding Tips

• Never grind more coffee than you will use in one sitting. Letting coffee grinds sit means losing flavor.
• When using a drip-brewing machine,  coffee should be ground to a consistency similar to granulated sugar.
• When making espresso, grinds should be like powder and somewhat gritty.
• Your beans should be ground coarse when using a French press. 
• After brewing your coffee, use 2 1/2 tbs. of grinds for every 6 oz. of water.

Related Guides

Coffee Makers	Espresso Machines	Coffee	Gourmet Coffee

External Links

• CoffeeUniverse.com: All you ever wanted to know about coffee!

International Resources

For this resource in your home country, please see:
NL: Koffiemolens Shopgids