How to choose a coffee grinder

Before we start with this article. Do you know what differentiates the coffee taste between an espresso machine that costs 20,000 SEK and an espresso machine that costs over 50,000 SEK? The answer is none. Believe it or not, both espresso machines use robust materials with quality that will last the rest of your life. The difference lies in user-friendliness, extra equipment and features, better finish, etc., but when it comes to the actual espresso taste, they do not differ from each other. What determines About you get complex flavors, different nuances in espresso is the choice of espresso grinder. The choice of grinder determines About you get the different flavors that exist in the bean. So what makes a grinder good or less good? The criteria that are important to consider are not to buy a coffee grinder that produces uneven coffee particles with static energy and heat.

3 important aspects when it comes to choosing a coffee grinder

• Size of the grinding discs
• Shape of the grinding discs
• Motor power

Size of the grinding discs

The size of the grinding discs is the simplest way to differentiate between the various coffee grinders. It is often said that the larger the discs, the better, but that is not the whole truth. The larger the grinding discs, the larger cutting surface the discs have to grind down the coffee beans. Thus, a larger diameter of the discs also means that it can grind the beans faster compared to discs with a smaller diameter that will need to grind the same amount of beans with more rotations of the discs. This means that larger discs require fewer rotations and can grind the beans faster compared to a grinder with smaller grinding discs. More rotations also mean that it creates static energy and heat which we do not want in coffee. Coffee with static energy creates unevenness and often clumps together, resulting in poor extraction of espresso. Therefore, one can conclude that larger grinding discs are always better, but they also come with a higher price tag.

Conical or flat grinding discs

The shape of the grinding discs goes hand in hand with the size of the grinding discs. Conical grinding discs have a larger cutting surface compared to flat grinding discs of the same diameter. The advantage of conical grinding discs is that they do not need to rotate as quickly as flat grinding discs since they do not rely on centrifugal force like the flat grinding discs need to dispense the coffee. So can one conclude that conical is better than flat? No, unlike the size of the grinding discs, the shape of the discs does not determine which is better than the other; rather, it is personal preference. Since conical grinding discs have a larger cutting surface to work with, they create more extremely fine particles. These small particles dissolve faster in the cup and provide a brighter and more floral flavor profile. However, conical grinding discs do not come with only advantages. The disadvantage is that they create unevenness in the grind compared to flat ones and can cause uneven extraction and create channels in the coffee puck. Unlike conical, flat grinding discs provide a more even grinding result and thus a more uniform particle size. Flat grinding discs tend to give you a more even extraction and a more consistent result. This provides a more traditional and balanced espresso flavor.

Motor power

Simply put, the larger the motor with higher power, the better the espresso result.

Summary

Although many contact us to upgrade their espresso machine, we primarily recommend upgrading the coffee grinder first and foremost. The better the coffee grinder, the more nuances and complex flavors you can experience from the beans with a more precisely secured espresso grinder. When you are shopping for a coffee grinder, try to use about 40% of your total budget for a coffee grinder.