Is a burr coffee grinder worth the money? Which one do you recommend that is the best value, or price point for what you get?
You can check the answer of the people under the question at Quora “best budget burr coffee grinder“
Is a burr coffee grinder worth the money? Which one do you recommend that is the best value, or price point for what you get?
You can check the answer of the people under the question at Quora “best budget burr coffee grinder“
Yes, they are definitely worth it, albeit more expensive than blade grinders. As for the best value, that would depend on your consumption. I was about to get the cheapest burr grinder I could find, it think it was made by Cuisinart and sold at Costco for less than 50 bucks (CAD), but a fellow coffee aficionado advised against it as it was not really good. He suggested that since I only brew one or two cups worth at a time, that I should try hand grinder instead. So I got one by Hario, and while it isnt the best out there, it was quite affordable and I have been using it for a few years now with no issues. But if I ever need to get an electric one to grind bigger batches, the ones I am considering are from Baratza and Breville.
Burr grinders are much better than blade grinders. They produce a consistent grind that blade machines can not.
It costs about $20 to get started with a manual one – and about $40~60 to get started with an electric – and for either of those prices, you will be pleased with the performance over your blade grinder. Truthfully, it takes more like $100~150 to get an electric almost everyone says is a good machine – but that is more than twice what I have invested in mine. Coffee grinder people can be real picky about what they want.
The biggest difference between $50 and >$100 is speed and grind options. The more you spend, the finer you can grind & the slower the motor will runm and the bigger the hopper you can get and the more setting you have for grind size and dosing size. If you grind espresso, you will want to look for machines that go a good job with this fine setting. Slower motor means less heat and static electricity generated. Ceramic burrs mean less heat as well, but they wear out faster than stainless (and cost more).
When I first started chasing the laughing goats, I used the supermarket grinder in the local A&P. They had two machines and one of them, I learned to avoid. No matter how you set it it served up a grind which can only be described as dusty “hodge podge”. The other worked well. Neither was cleaned so you got an after taste of the most popular grind that day.I thought my self the great gourmet for grinding my own. I was the only one of my friends for years with an espresso pot, and a Chemex for pour over and became an obnoxious disciple of “real coffee”. My coffee guru was Gianmarco, the owner of my closest coffee place. He tutored me on many things including grinders. I bought an electric rotary knife grinder which I learned burned the beans a bit when attempting to make espressos. I pitched it and bought an Italian rotary which had settings on the side but was equally horrible. I complained about it to the woman I was seeing at the time, she bought one that was ridiculously expensive, a La Pavoni that did an incredible job but for $800 it should have sung opera, flipped eggs and made breakfast. When the relationship ended, she took custody and I bought the Bodum, as I recall about $150. It grinds really well so I haven’t had the urge to go for a more expensive one , the Bodum has spare parts available so that makes it a good grinder for me, though I have used some over $1000 at friend’s houses. It is fire engine red and has acquired the nickname” Diavolo”.I bought an antique hand grinder, a box with a horizontal arm that adjusts which I use for espresso grinds. Over the years I have learned how many turns up from rock bottom makes the grind I like for specific coffees.Gianmarco gave me a brush for my birthday one year and I use it to clear the leftovers from my grinders when changing settings and put the “catcher” in the dishwasher a couple of times a month.A long answer to your question. I only use a store grinder now at Costco when traveling. I think they are more standardized than others, though I have never inquired as to how they do that.
BISTRO
They are essential to great coffee. I would recommend a Baratza Encore Conical Burr grinder. Its relatively quiet and very solidly built. If something breaks, all internal parts can be purchased and replaced rather than junking the whole thing:
Choosing your grinder – Baratza [ https://www.baratza.com/choosing-your-grinder/ ]
You can buy a refurbished on on the Baratza website for as little as $99…
It depends how much coffee you drink and how interested you are in a quality coffee experience.
If you drink coffee for the caffeine alone, save your money and buy pre-ground at the grocery store. But if you even moderately enjoy coffee for the flavors and want to learn more and experience the different varietals from different parts of the world, buy freshly roasted whole beans and grind them yourself (not all at once, but only as you are consuming them).
Regarding grinders, determine how much coffee you’ll be consuming. If you’re making a single pot, pour-over, French press, etc., then a manual grinder (+/-$20 on Amazon) would be fine for your needs, assuming you are physically able to perform the task of grinding. If you’re making multiple pots throughout the day or you are less physically able to work a manual grinder, then certainly consider an electric model. As is stated in other posts, a burr grinder provides more consistency in grinding allowing you to choose to produce the finer grind appropriate for espresso or the coarse grind necessary for a French press.
However, if your coffee brewing will consist of using a standard drip model, you can get decent result from a blade grinder. Grinding in short bursts, shaking the grinder in between, and holding/using the grinder at approximately a 45 degree angle will give you a grind suitable for any drip coffee maker. Will it be as good? No, but the $80+ or so you’ll save in buying a blade grinder vs. a more expensive burr grinder can buy lot of really good coffee and your taste buds won’t know the difference.
Yep, they are worth the money. You’ll get to set the a certain grind and it will be consistent. If you use a regular grinder the type you have to hold the top down you could over grind or under grin the beans. As far as prices anywhere from 35 dollars and up. one more thing my burr grinder doesn’t grind my beans for espresso too find of a grind for mine.