"Help! This coffee is stale. I need my own coffee grinders!"

Gaggia Burr Grinder

I used to buy pre-ground coffee in small quantities either at the supermarket or in a coffeeshop. When I became a regular coffee consumer, I started to buy larger quantities so I wouldn't have to go three times a week. It didn't take long for me to notice that my ground coffee is less tasty a couple of days after the sealed package is open. And for coffee beans that I grind myself at the supermarket, it's even worse! And it's not a storing problem. I had already checked that out. That's when I decided to spend some time finding a solution. I got myself a coffee grinder so I could purchase whole coffee beans instead of pre-ground and grind only the required quantity to make my daily coffee. That way, my cup of coffee tastes much fresher, even if I've had the beans for a week!

Different coffee makers, different grain sizes

Coffee grinders are used to grind coffee beans to the correct size for your coffee or espresso machine. Be aware of the various grind variations like coarse (percolator), medium and fine (drip coffee makers), extra fine and Turkish ( espresso machines). If grains are too large for your coffee maker, water goes through them too quickly to extract flavor from them. If they are too thin and tightly packed, it will take too long for the water to run through, and the coffee will burn. This is why you want to make sure your coffee and espresso grinder is a quality product and that you use it properly.

The battle of blade and burr

How do you choose the right grinder? There are two types of home coffee grinders. Blade grinders, if used at all, should only be so with a drip coffee maker, for they give uneven grain sizes. For all coffee makers, the best option is an electrical burr coffee and espresso grinder such as the Gaggia 8002 at the top left corner of this page. The modern version of the burr grinder is based on the oldest known grinding principle of the mantel and the pestle. Burr coffee and espresso grinders are similar to other types of grinders used for grinding corn, wheat, etc.

It is mostly observed that cheaper coffee grinders don't always come with coarseness settings. If you buy one such machine, then you need to try various grind settings in terms of time adjustment. Using a top sellers burr grinder such as the Gaggia 8002 MDF insures you the grinding is precise and even. Beware! A poor quality commercial or home blade grinder can heat up your coffee and waste part of its essential aromas before brewing.

Phantom flavor

Another note of caution: When buying flavored coffee beans, don't use the same home grinder you usually grind regular coffee beans with, because the added flavor can haunt the device and affect the taste of your next regular coffees. You could choose to have two home grinders, one tagged "regular coffee" and the other, "flavored coffee", or you might just want to grind them on location with the store's grinder (but be prepared to taste many different flavors in your coffee...).

The grinders illustrated on this page will significantly enhance the quality of your cup of coffee, no matter which day of the week it is. I suggest you get your own Burr coffee grinder at EveryEspressoMachine.com. 

Coffee Grinders - Articles