Why You Should Own A Coffee Bean Grinder
True coffee lovers know that fresh ground coffee tastes best. And that’s why so many coffee aficionados are now using their own coffee bean grinder to get that fresh taste every day in their homes.
There are several advantages to grinding your own coffee beans, but perhaps the most important (besides freshness) is that you have complete control over how fine the grind is. If you know your coffee, you know just how important that is. So perhaps you’re now at least a little bit curious as to how you grind your beans.
If you haven’t tried grinding your own beans yet, maybe you think it’s hard to do. It isn’t. Or maybe you think it’s a messy process. Again, this simply isn’t correct.
In fact the only good reason not to grind your own beans is that it’s easier to simply open a can and start to brew. This is true, but I believe that once you taste the difference between grinding your own beans and buying canned supermarket beans, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start earlier.
As soon as coffee beans are ground they begin to lose some of their flavor and aroma. That’s the reason grinding the beans yourself will result in a better tasting and smelling cup. You can simply grind the beans right before you brew (the process is quick) and your coffee will be as flavorful as possible.
So what kind of grinder should you get? There are two popular types on the market. You can get either a blade grinder or a burr grinder.
The more economical of the two is the blade grinder. Picture a blender, only smaller. The blades inside simply grind up the beans. This is far better than buying canned coffee, but not as good as it could be. The idea when grinding is to get as large a surface area as possible. A larger surface area means more bean is exposed to the hot water, and therefore more oils and flavor can be pulled out during brewing. A blade grinder will produce an uneven grind. And therefore you will get a slightly inferior cup of coffee.
Burr grinders on the other hand are produce a much better grind. Go to your local coffee shop and this is the type of grinder you’ll typically find in use. The burrs are precisely and evenly spaced grinding discs made of metal. They will give your beans an even grind, and therefore produce a better cup of coffee. Generally these are adjustable, meaning you can set them for whatever type of coffee you like best. If you like Turkish drip coffee, no problem. If you prefer automatic drip coffee, a burr grinder will produce the grind you need.
Understand that what I consider a perfect cup of coffee may not be perfect for you. I am far from a coffee snob. But no matter what type of coffee you like, fresh ground beans will always taste better. And whether you decide on a burr or blade coffee bean grinder, you’ll find that the taste of your coffee will be far superior to what you are drinking now. Chances are you will have bought your last can of pre-ground coffee.
You might even jump out of bed in the morning, realizing that a delicious and fresh cup of coffee will be in your hands in just minutes.
