How to choose a coffee grinder

Before we start this article. Do you know what the difference in coffee taste is between an espresso machine that costs SEK 20,000 and an espresso machine that costs over SEK 50,000? The answer is no one. Believe it or not both espresso machines use robust materials with quality that will last you the rest of your life. The difference lies in ease of use, extra equipment and features, better finish, etc. but when it comes to the actual espresso taste, they are indistinguishable. What determines whether you get complex flavors, different nuances in espresso is the choice of espresso grinder. Choice of grinder determines whether you get the different flavors found in the bean. What then makes the mill good or less good? The criteria that are important to consider is 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

• The size of the grinding discs
• The shape of the grinding discs
• Engine power

The size of the grinding discs

The size of the grinding discs is the easiest way to distinguish between different coffee grinders. It is usually said that the bigger the discs, the better, but that is not the whole truth. The larger the grinding discs, the larger the cutting surface the discs have to grind down the coffee beans. So the larger diameter of the discs also means that it can grind the beans faster compared to discs with a smaller diameter which will have to grind down 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 revolutions also means that it creates static energy and heat, which we don't want in coffee. Coffee with static energy creates unevenness and often clumps resulting in a poor espresso extraction. Therefore, it can be concluded that larger grinding discs are always better but it also comes with a more expensive price tag.

Conical or flat grinding wheels

The shape of the grinding discs goes hand in hand with the shape of the grinding discs. Conical grinding wheels have a larger cutting surface compared to flat grinding wheels of the same diameter. The advantage of conical grinding discs is that they do not have to rotate as fast as flat grinding discs as they do not rely on the centrifugal force that the flat grinding discs need to dispense the coffee. So can you conclude that conical is better than flat? No, unlike the size of the grinding discs, the shape of the grinding discs does not determine which is better than the other, rather it is personal preference. Because conical grinding wheels have a larger cutting surface to work with, it creates more extremely fine particles. The small particles dissolve faster in the cup and give a lighter, more floral taste. However, the conical grinding wheels do not come with only advantages. The disadvantage is that it creates with unevenness in the grinding compared to flat and can cause an uneven extraction and creates channels in the coffee puck. Unlike conical, flat grinding discs give a more even grinding result and thus a more uniform particle size. Flat grinding discs tend to give you a smoother extraction and a more consistent result. This gives a more traditional and balanced espresso taste.

Engine power

Simply put, the bigger the motor with the higher the output, the better the espresso results.

Summary

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