Anyone who knows anything about coffee knows that the best coffee comes from coffee made with freshly ground coffee beans. That's why a kitchen is not complete without a coffee grinder!
What are the different types of coffee grinder?
There are two types of coffee grinder - the burr grinder and the blade grinder.
Blade coffee grinders use a spinning blade to grind up the coffee beans and burr grinders use burrs. Burrs are similar looking to plates with gears on them. One of the burrs is stationary while the other one spins and grinds up the coffee beans.
How do coffee grinders affect the taste of your coffee?
The taste of the coffee will be affected by heat and uniformity. Heat or uneven grinding will result in a less superior tasting coffee. Heat is therefore undesirable in a grinder as it damages the coffee beans. The faster the grinder goes the more heat will be generated. Therefore it is recommended to use a lower speed grinder to produce a better tasting coffee.
The more uniform the grinds are the more efficient they are at imparting flavour to the water. The blade grinder is not very good at creating uniform grinds but a burr grinder is very good at creating uniform grinds.
Therefore to get the best tasting coffee it is recommended to use a low speed burr grinder. If you are a coffee lover consider it an investment to ensuring a fantastic cup of coffee every morning!
When considering which grinder to purchase don't be put off by higher prices. A good grinder will likely save you money in the long term. A good grinder which is better at creating uniform grinds will waste less coffee and require less adjustment to deliver desirable shot times.
Make sure you know how to use and maintain your coffee grinder. You will regularly need to check and readjust your grinder to ensure maximum performance. Make sure that you clean it regularly so that there are no leftover coffee grounds clinging to the blades and impacting its performance.
Which grinder to buy?
The Eureka Zenith (pictured above) is a fantastic burr grinder which produces an even grind. It is also very quiet and compact so takes up little room on your counter. It has a user friendly interface and, unlike some grinders, very few grounds are retained within the chute or cling to the body of the grinder. It is very easily opened up and requires few tools for cleaning. This is particularly good for home grinding.
The Eureka Mignon is a great choice for a commercial premises or home barista bar. This burr grinder creates grounds quickly and uniformly. It has a hassle free stepless grind adjustment dial and is very user friendly.
The Eureka Helios 65 coffee grinder (pictured) is a great choice for commercial outlets. It has high speed grind dispersion, the ACE anti clumping systems and an amazing output of up to 5 grams per second. It also has an intuitive touchscreen for ease of use.