Kettle and Cup

Coffee Grinders Make the Difference

by Marye on December 22nd, 2007

If you want a really good cup of coffee you have to have fresh, whole beans, filtered water, a gold filter, and a really good grinder.

In fact, a really good grinder is nearly as important as all the rest put together. There are two kinds of grinders; blade grinders and burr grinders.

Blade Grinders

Blade grinders are generally the more inexpensive of the two and honestly, produce a lower quality coffee. Blade grinders get hot when they are grinding the coffee and the heat minutely scorches the cut sides of the beans. This changes the delicate flavor of the coffee and you lose some of the nuance. The granules of coffee produced vary in size within one grinding and so the flavor is extracted differently. Very finely ground particles act like dust to slow down the brewing process and therefore a bitter flavor is often produced. The upside is that blade grinders are affordable for nearly everyone, averaging about $25.

Here are some of the ones I like:

Capresso 503 Cool Grind- This is a moderately priced blade grinder that, true to it’s name, grinds the beans while maintaining a lower temperature than most other blade grinders. About $25.00

Krups 203-70 Fast Touch- Lower priced grinder has dual blades to quickly grind the beans..it also grinds spices very well. About $19.00

Burr Grinders

O.k..Burr grinders are for the serious coffee drinker. When you are ready to drink a cup of coffee for more than the caffeine then it is time to save your pennies and step up to a burr grinder. Because it grinds differently the coffee bean particles stay cool for a clean, fresh flavor without scorching. The beans grind at a consistent rate so that all the coffee brews at an equal rate. This means that you get the pure flavor of your coffee without off flavors.

Here are some I like:

The Rancilio Rocky Dorserless Burr Grinder-This Grinder is capable of grinding everything from very fine for Turkish coffee to very coarse for French Press. The Dorserless design lets you collect the ground coffee straight into the filter or any container straight from the chute. About $300.00

Capresso Infinity- This is my favorite moderately priced burr grinder. It has the slowest and quietest grinding in it’s class which means it grinds at a lower temperature than even most burr grinders for a better aroma and flavor. About $90

Krups GVX1- One of the best in the inexpensive variety of Burr Grinders. It has 18 settings for various grinds. About $50.00

For my budget and my coffee needs the Capresso Infinity is the one that I would go with, personally. It really makes an amazing difference in your coffee.

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