Need input on coffee grinders!

[pleasant]

My DH LOVES coffee! He recently mentioned he'd like a coffee grinder so he can grind his own coffee at home. Well, his birthday is coming up so I've started looking for a coffee grinder. I realize now that I know nothing about coffee grinders. You can spend anywhere from $19.99 up to $60+! Is there a big difference in the cheap ones and the expensive ones. Do you own a coffee grinder? And if so, do you love it or hate it??? Any input in my search for a great birthday gift would be awesome! Thanks!

[Marcster]

http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Marcster2005/Smileypad/Drink/lovecoffee.gif I love coffee too, but I don't use either, but I do know that burr Grinders are considered better than "chopping" grinders.

 

Burr Coffee Grinder:

http://www.twinvalleycoffee.com/graphics/virtuoso1_side_bottom_burr.jpg

 

The more common model (and cheaper) is a rotary coffee grinder.

 

Rotary Coffee Grinder:

http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00004SPET.01._AA280_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_grinder

 

Burr-grinding

This method is burr-based with two revolving elements crushing or "tearing" the bean and with less risk of burning. Burr grinders can be either wheel or conical; the latter are quieter and are less likely to clog. Burr grinders "mill" the coffee to a reasonably consistent size, which produces a more even extraction when brewed.

 

* Conical burr grinders preserve the most aroma and produce very fine and consistent grounds. The intricate design of the steel burrs allows a high gear reduction to slow down the grinding speed. The slower the speed, the less heat is imparted to the ground coffee, thus preserving maximum amount of aroma. Because of the wide range of grind settings, these grinders are ideal for all kinds of coffee equipment: espresso, drip, percolators, French press. Better conical burr grinders can also grind extra fine for the preparation of Turkish coffee. Grinding speed is generally below 500 rpm.

* Burr grinders with disk-type burrs usually grind at a faster speed than conical burr grinders and as a result tend to create a bit more warmth in the coffee. They are the most economical way of getting a consistent grind in a wide range of applications. They are well suited for most home coffee preparation.

 

Chopping

Most modern "grinders" actually chop the bean into pieces (and some coffee drinkers merely use a home blender to do the job). Although enjoying a much longer life before wearing out the blades, the result is dramatically less effective in producing a homogeneous grind and, therefore, will create a degraded product in the cup.

 

Blade grinders “smash” the beans with a blade at very high speed (20,000 to 30,000 rpm). The ground coffee has larger and smaller particles and is warmer than ground coffee from burr grinders. Blade grinders create “coffee dust” which can clog up sieves in espresso machines and French presses. These grinders are (in theory) only suitable for drip coffee makers though even here the product is inferior as a result. They also can do a great job for grinding spices and herbs (irony). They are not recommended for use with pump espresso machines.

 

Pounding

Turkish coffee is produced by infusion with grounds of almost powdery fineness. In the absence of a sufficiently high-quality burr grinder, the only reliable way to achieve this is to pound the beans in a mortar and pestle.

A burr grinder is the Lexus, a rotary is a Toyota. http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/Marcster2005/Smileypad/Drink/millan_300ccCoffee.gif

[aidansmommy]

We have a coffee grinder which we use almost everyday. My hubby, who is the coffee expert around here, highly recommends the burr grinder as well. I bought the Cuisinart one at TJ Maxx and More/ Homegoods last year. It was on sale for $25. It is much less messy than the one we previously had, and easier to empty into the coffee maker. We really like it.

[mrn8]

I have a Cuisinart that's been a really good grinder. I've been using it for 2 years, now. The Refurb version is $35 at Amazon, the new on is $50. http://www.amazon.com/Factory-Reconditioned-Cuisinart-Supreme-Automatic-CCM-16FR/dp/B000BKGM9C/ref=sr_1_7/002-6344632-0040038?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1173218027&sr=1-7

[pleasant]

WOW! Thank you so much for all of the info!!! I feel so smart now! Marcster, thanks for taking the time to post all of that! I guess it tells on the box if it is a burr grinder or not? I may have to take a trip to HomeGoods! Thanks again for all of the information!!!

[Marcster]

WOW! Thank you so much for all of the info!!! I feel so smart now! Marcster, thanks for taking the time to post all of that! I guess it tells on the box if it is a burr grinder or not? I may have to take a trip to HomeGoods! Thanks again for all of the information!!!

My pleasure. Yes, the outer box (in the store) or the description (if you are looking online) should proudly state BURR GRINDER.

 

If it doesn't, it's safe to assume that it's a standard chopping coffee grinder. Basically, a standard chopping grinder's blades look like the ones in the bottom of a blender, but a burr grinders look like one of those rotary pencil sharpeners that are in school classrooms.

 

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/3/39/250px-CrankPencilShapener.jpg

 

I haven't been looking lately, but most burr grinders are $50+ (except for the refurb that Nate posted in this thread).

[pleasant]

Cool!

[aidansmommy]

Good luck! The one we got at Homegoods was new, not refurbished, so I was very excited! The larger Tj Maxx and More stores may also have them too. Ours has held up very well considering how much use it gets!