Grinding coffee: a practical guide to grinders, part 1

Grinding is a crucial process and one of the key elements of good espresso. Some people even consider it the most important stage of coffee preparation.

Remember to grind immediately before brewing. Ground coffee loses aromatic compounds quickly, so buying whole beans and using a grinder helps preserve freshness. The exact rate of flavour loss varies rather than following one fixed percentage.

You do not necessarily need expensive equipment to begin enjoying better coffee at home. A simple manual grinder can be a useful starting point. Look in cupboards, boxes or the attic: a forgotten family coffee grinder may already be waiting for you.

If not, grinders are available in shops, online and at antiques markets, where an older model can also make an attractive kitchen decoration. Check its condition and whether its grind is suitable for the brewing method you use.

Busy cafés rely on capable machines and grinders in the hands of experienced baristas. At home, however, you can also make delicious coffee without spending a fortune: enthusiasm, care and good beans go a long way.

Mortars and manual grinders

One of the oldest ways of breaking up beans is pounding them in a mortar. This takes time and patience, and achieving a consistent grind is difficult. It is generally not a practical route to espresso, and even Turkish coffee requires a particularly fine, even powder.

Traditional wooden hand grinders are often attractive and can be useful. Some older examples offer limited adjustment, though many manual grinders—including modern ones—do let you vary the grind size.

Electric blade grinders

Electric grinders mainly fall into two groups: blade grinders and burr grinders. Burr grinders usually give better control but often cost more.

Blades chop the beans, producing a mixture of fine powder and larger fragments. This can still be a convenient way to grind fresh coffee, but the uneven particles make extraction less consistent.

Avoid running a blade grinder continuously for too long, as the grounds can heat up. Use short pulses and, with the motor stopped and following the manufacturer’s instructions, redistribute the contents to improve consistency.

Burr grinders

Burr grinders crush the beans between grinding surfaces. A good model produces a more uniform result and allows precise adjustment of grind size, which is particularly important for espresso.

Choose carefully rather than assuming every inexpensive burr grinder will perform well. Consider build quality, adjustment range and whether it is suitable for your intended brewing method. It may be worth spending more on a dependable model.

We are not showing particular brands here: the grinder market offers enough variety for different budgets and needs. In the next instalment, we will look at grind settings for different brewers.