If you are wondering how a burr coffee grinder works, you have probably been reading about coffee and realized that you could get a better cup if you grind the beans yourself instead of purchasing coffee grounds.
Your research may have caused you to come across the two main types of grinders. These are the burr grinder versus the blade grinder.
Barristers will tell you that a grinder is the most important part of making your favorite cup of espresso. And they all swear that burr grinders are the best grinders available.
So if you want to make the best cup of coffee, you need to stop purchasing coffee grounds and instead purchase a grinder and start purchasing beans instead of grounds.
The end product of this all is the cup of coffee, so the focus is usually on the beans, and not rightly so. The focus should be on the quality of the grounds and, by extension, the grinder you use, as this greatly affects the taste of the cup of coffee.
If you buy good coffee beans, you don’t want them to be reduced in quality by a bad grinder – no, you want the best for your top-quality beans.
The burr grinder is the best option. This type of grinder works just like that manual vintage coffee grinder your great-grandmother had, and you can still find those manual styles for sale as well.
It features two burrs which are abrasive metal surfaces consisting of grooves between which the coffee beans are ground up just a couple of beans at a time.
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Types of Burr Grinders
How does a burr coffee grinder work? Well, there are two types of burr grinders; flat and conical burr grinders. They do the same thing and do a great job grinding coffee beans to the desired size grounds.
You change the size of the grounds produced by changing the distance between the burrs. These grinders grind your coffee beans between the two burrs – one burr will remain still while the other spins.
Professionals and enthusiasts note that burr grinders are better blade grinders are that burr grinders allow for your grounds to all be of a uniform size. These grinders also allow you the opportunity for more control over your grind.
Getting a uniform grind in a blade grinder is much harder, so burr grinders are recommended for pour-overs and French press brewing.
Purchasing a Burr Grinder
If you are looking to purchase a burr grinder, you will find that there are many options, and they are available in several sizes and shapes and at an array of prices.
Small and Affordable
If you want a smaller footprint that will take up less space, you can consider a manual burr grinder. These are also usually very budget friendly but don’t provide a fine grind for making espresso; at least an electric one will give you a better-quality grind.
Low-Speed
Look for a low-speed model when considering your burr grinder purchase. High speeds grinders will build up a static charge and attach to anything, so you will have problems with the cleanup.
Also, a high-speed grinder can heat your beans, altering the final brew’s taste.
If you are interested in getting a burr coffee grinder, check out our articles below, where we review and share what we think about them:
- Secura SCG-903B Automatic Electric Burr Coffee Grinder Mill Review.
- Bodum Bistro Electric Burr Coffee Grinder Review.
- JavaPresse Manual Coffee Grinder Review.
Manual Burr Grinder
If you are passionate about how your coffee is made and have an extra 3 minutes to dedicate to your coffee ritual every day or whenever you drink, this is an option.
A manual burr grinder requires time and patience, but they also tend to be budget friendly and travel-friendly if you are ever traveling somewhere where you may not be able to find good coffee.
How does a burr coffee grinder work? Grind the coffee beans between two grooved surfaces as one surface remains stationary and the other spins.
This offers a uniform grind and allows you to customize your grinds from coarse to fine. This means you can now use your favorite coffee beans to make different types of coffee to suit your needs.
