Coffee Maker Grinder..What To Look For  

There are many coffee maker grinder models available on the market and you certainly will be spoiled for choice. When you make your decision to invest in one however, there are some factors you need to bear in mind. So we will explain briefly what types are available to help you make an informed decision.

Basically there are two types of coffee maker grinders available.

The first is a blade type. They have a single blade similar to a propellor. They will retail for approx £20 and have an approximate capacity of up to about 3 ounces. That is probably not quite enough for a full pot, and the consistency of the ground-beans isn't brilliant, however the longer the beans are ground, the better consistency, so it is a bit of a learning curve to 'get it right'. The machines are generally very simple to use as there is only one setting on the machine to worry about.

The blade type grinders are fine for drip coffee makers but not advised for expresso machines. The reason for that is due to the inconsistency of the ground beans. Ususally blade grinders are made from entirely plastic parts which can make them a bit tricky to clean due to the static electricity it attracts.

Burr grinders are the second type of coffee maker grinder available. These as you would expect, are more expensive, selling from anywhere between $60 and over $300.

Burr grinders are split into two types. Conical and Flat burrs. They are both very good at producing a very consistent grind of your choice, however excessive heat generated by burr grinding can sometimes cause the coffee beans to have a charred burnt-like flavor.

Capacity is good and around a quarter-pound and some models have the facility to store extra beans inside the actual unit. These units will give you more control and flexibility in adjusting the coarseness of the grind.

The more top of the range coffee maker grinders can be quite attractive for counter-top storage and can offer as many as nine various grind settings.

So there you are, some useful points to think about before you rush out and purchase your manual-coffee-grinder.