Finding the Best Grinder for Coffee Beans

Finding the Best Grinder for Coffee Beans: 2022 Buyer's Guide for Coffee Grinders

What can you use to instantly improve the flavor of your coffee? Do you need a better espresso machine? Or, maybe a new electric coffee maker is the secret. The answer is actually neither of these. Although having a good coffee maker is handy and can make your life more convenient, it actually all comes down to the type of coffee beans you get and how you grind them. 

There’s no argument, when it comes to great coffee, it's all in the beans! It doesn't matter if you have a premium espresso maker or an old-fashioned coffee machine, for the best results, you need good beans ground fresh.

After all, nothing can improve your morning coffee like ordering high-quality gourmet coffee beans and grinding them fresh on-demand. (Which is what we are all about at One Great Coffee!) This means that if you like rich, fresh coffee flavors you are going to need a good coffee grinder! So what is the best grinder for coffee beans? That is what we will cover right here! 

Why Grinding Coffee Fresh is Important

When you grind your coffee beans fresh, you ensure that your coffee will have a better flavor and more even consistency. Not only will you have more control over the brewing process because of the size of the coffee grounds, but you will also be able to ensure that the inherent oils of the coffee beans are released best. 

Understanding Bad Brews VS Good Ones

As easy as it is to grind up coffee beans and saturate them with hot water, if you are craving rich and smooth coffee flavors, you will need to learn how to brew your coffee like a master. The extraction process is a key component of great coffee! The size of your coffee grinds plays a huge role in this process of extraction. 

About Coffee Grind Sizes

Grind size dictates how long it takes for hot water to extract the coffee flavors and oils from the ground beans. This is known as brew/extraction time. Ideally, your coffee should be brewed long enough to extract the maximum amount of flavor without burning, over-extracting, or breaking down the oils. 

If you brew your coffee too quickly, you won't get enough flavor. If you brew coffee for too long, you will damage the fine flavor notes. Grind size can play an enormous role in this process. 

Coarse ground coffee can last longer and stand up to extraction. However, this can slow down the brewing process. Finely ground coffee (like espresso) quickly releases flavors and oils. However, the extraction process must be quick and efficient using lots of water pressure. 

This is why a coarse French press grind is ideal for some coffee makers and a fine espresso grind is better for others. A standard drip grind is fine for most electric countertop coffee machines. Now that you understand why this matters, we can move on to selecting the ideal coffee grinder. 

Finding The Best Grinder for Espresso Beans: Coffee Grinder Buyer’s Guide 

So you are on the market for a great coffee grinder. To find the perfect coffee grinder for your unique applications, you will need to know what kinds of coffee grinders are available. You should also have a good understanding of the grind size that is best for your preferred style of coffee. 

From there, you should consider things like price, counter space, ease of use, and price. Let's talk about a few things that you should evaluate before choosing a coffee grinder. That way, you can save yourself time and money! 

What to consider in a coffee grinder: 

• The versatility of the grind size
• Price
• Portability/ size
• Type 
• Speed
• Sound output

Know Your Coffee Grind Sizes

 Coffee grounds can be fine, medium fine, medium, and coarse. 

• Fine coffee is slightly powdery with the consistency of fine granulated sugar. Think espresso. 
• Medium coffee (in a standard grind) is more coarse than beach sand, but not as fine as sugar. This is the standard grind used for countertop coffee makers. 
• Coarse coffee grounds are the largest in size. They are often used for French press coffee makers or cold brew methods. 

 Choose the Right Grind Size for Your Brewing Style

When you order freshly roasted whole bean coffee, you will have the ability to grind it for whatever brewing method you prefer. The main methods of brewing coffee are espresso machines, AeroPress makers, Moka Pots, traditional drip grind brewers, pour-over coffee makers, cold brew coffee, and french press coffee makers. There are also Keurig and pod-style coffee makers that come with pre-filled pods/k-cups. (For freshly roasted and ground coffee in convenient single-serve cups, click here!) 

Each coffee brewing method requires different sizes of coffee grounds. Here is a quick guide to help you decide what size your coffee beans should be ground to for each method of brewing. 

Espresso - Fine (espresso grind)

Traditional Coffee Makers - Medium 

Pour Over Coffee - Medium-Fine to Medium Coarse

Cold Brew Coffee - Medium to Coarse

French Press - Coarse 

Main Types of Coffee Grinders

There are many different types of coffee grinders. The main types of coffee grinders are electric blade grinders, burr grinders, and manual grinders. 

Manual Coffee Grinders

Manual coffee grinders are operated by hand without electricity via a crank or lever. They are handy for a few reasons.

They are: 

• Usually affordable 
• Hand operated 
• Versatile 
• Quiet 

Generally, these coffee grinders are inexpensive. They are often usually operated by hand, which makes them portable and affordable. You can easily adjust your grind size for your preferred brewing method. Plus, manual coffee grinders are quiet. With no electric motors, they are perfect for people who don't want to make a lot of noise. 

Click here to see the 10 best Manual Coffee Grinders of 2022!

Burr Grinders

Burr coffee grinders are the industry standard for cafes. Burr grinders rely on two burrs that spin in opposite directions. They take the beans into a conical funnel where they are ground to a uniform size. Since the burrs are usually made out of stainless steel or ceramic, little heat is generated which keeps the flavors of the coffee beans in fact. 

Burr grinders are:

• High-quality 
• Great for premium coffee 
• Free of heat generation 
• Versatile 

Click here to see the 10 best Burr Grinders of 2022!

Electric Coffee Grinders 

Electric coffee grinders are easily the most popular. These coffee grinders often have a blade that spins rapidly to chop anything in its way. You can also control your coffee ground size. Electric coffee grinders are the best for those who are making coffee at home and want a simple and easy solution for freshly ground coffee beans.

Electric blade coffee grinders are: 

• Convenient 
• Affordable 
• Fast 
• Efficient 
• Portable  

Click here to see the 9 best Electric Coffee Grinders of 2022! 

Final Thoughts on the Best Grinders for Coffee

Fresh-ground coffee beans best release their oils effectively to improve the flavor, scent, and texture of coffee. Therefore, grinding your coffee beans fresh is the best way to ensure that every cup of Joe you make will offer the most flavors, finest fragrances, and smoothest textures. 

At One Great Coffee, we sell most of our brews in multiple grind styles. So whether you want to order whole bean coffee and grind it fresh or order pre-ground coffee, we have you covered. When you browse our gourmet coffee selection, you will see that we offer standard drip grind and French press grounds in addition to whole bean coffee! So, if you want to save yourself some time, simply order your preferred grind size right here. 

With that being said, we understand that many coffee connoisseurs prefer to grind their own coffee beans fresh just minutes before brewing. Honestly, we agree that this is the best way to get the most out of your coffee beans. To view our top-rated selection of premium coffees sold online, click here!