How to Make French Press Coffee: Grinder

Why grind your own coffee? Once coffee is ground, it loses its flavor and freshness much more quickly than whole bean coffee. If you grind right before you brew your coffee, you’ll make a better cup of coffee. Plus, it adds another dimension to the coffee-making routine. Pull out the grinder. Grab the bag of coffee beans. Pour the beans into the grinder. Grind. Smell the aroma. Then pour the grounds into a French Press (or other coffee maker).

There are two primary types of coffee grinders, blade and burr.

Blade grinders are the cheapest. The blade spins in a circle, cutting the coffee beans. The longer the grinder is run, the finer the coffee grounds will be. However, the blades tend to heat up after spinning for awhile, which may start to burn the coffee grounds. Grinding also tends to be uneven with blade grinders, thus producing a more inconsistent brew. They are not great for coffee brewing methods that require a fine grind, such as espresso, but are adequate for the coarse grounds required by the French Press and drip methods. Many blade grinders are in the $10 to $30 range.

Burr grinders crush the beans between a moving grinding wheel (burr) and a stationary surface. There are two kinds of burr grinders, wheel (or flat) burr and conical burr. The beans drop between the burrs and are then ground. These grinders allow you to set the fineness or coarseness of your grind. Burr grinders are much more consistent than blade grinders.

Wheel burr grinders spin faster, and thus are typically noisier and produce more static electricity and heat than a conical burr grinder. They are also the less expensive of the two. Conical burr grinders spin slower, and are thus quieter. Because of this, they also deal better with oily or flavored coffees. They are the most expensive, and the one you’re most likely to see used in a coffee shop. Burr grinders can be had for as little as $50, though high quality models for home use are typically $150 and up.

For additional information, see the Grinding section of this Wikipedia coffee preparation article.