Coffee grinder help/opinions

[Sitting Bull]

I have an electric burr coffee grinder that I like a lot . It has a plastic container that catches the ground coffee and I hate it and the lid hinges are broken. I hate it because of the static and the mess of grains all over the counter.
a) Can you recommend a good quality electric grinder that will not break the bank?
b) Does anybody use a manual grinder ? If yes Why did you choose it as opposed to electric ? what brand would you recommend ?

The grinder must be able to grind for espresso machine and drip.
Thanks for the help.

[badger]

A spritz of aerosol water will reduce the static if that is your main problem with the grinder, it's called RDT. All espresso grinders will suffer from static if conditions are right.

[pittman]

Hey,

In terms of grinding for espresso, consistency of the grounds is most important to getting the flavour you're looking for. With that in mind most folks go for a conical burr grinder as opposed to a blade.

Some of the electric grinders for espresso get pretty pricey, as is everything from Italy, which is why I use a manual conical burr grinder.

The one that I currently use is the Handground Precision coffee grinder. Decent price on Amazon, and it can grind fine enough for espresso. Another plus is that it's easy to adjust the grind size, so if you want to make a normal cup of coffee that's easy enough too. There are quite a few other high end manual grinders out there, but I find their price is getting too close to those fancy electric Italian ones. I hope that helps.

[madshawn]

I work with a guy here in Prince Rupert coast guard.

He used to compete internationally as a barista out of Ottawa. He has a very nice 500 dollar machine that he "donated" to us at work. I guess the one he has now costs over 1500 bucks. I asked him last month about a recommendation for a home grinder that won't break the bank. He says he always recommends a Bodum Burr grinder as the best bang for your buck. Here is the link. He swears by it and I take what he says about coffee very seriously.

https://www.amazon.ca/Bodum-Bistro-E...alL&ref=plSrch

[sns2]

This is the price point where you start to get a good quality burr grinder capable of making good coffee.

https://www.espressotec.com/baratza-...o-grinder.html

[roughneckin]

I have a Porlex manual grinder. I wanted a manual for camping and such and has been great. Set the burr at various spots with a few clicks and your on your way. Get a small forearm workout in every morning too.

[bsmitty27]

I use an old spong manual grinder and love it. #2 or bigger?

[SamSteele]

I use the Breville Smart Grinder Pro. We have had ours for a couple years and it is great. It has a plastic container as well but I don’t have any static in it. My mother has one like yours and the static drives me crazy. I also like the ability to dial in the grind to exactly what you want and you can easily switch out the beans as well.

https://www.breville.com/ca/en/produ...ee/bcg820.html

[tinmoc]

Hi,

I am using Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder. Easy to use, space saving, very easy to clean. It is alright for fine espresso.

[bobtodrick]

Used to own a coffee cart in Edmonton (did festivals and events)
This was the machine we used https://www.ranciliogroup.com/17-Ran...Machines--LEVA
So I'm fairly serious about my coffee
At home I now have a Rancillo Silvia and have a Rancillio Rocky grinder https://www.amazon.ca/Rancilio-HSD-R...ancillio+rocky
It is out of the OP's price range but I will say this...buy as good a grinder as you can afford. A 1oz shot of espresso should take about 30 seconds to draw.
You may think your grinder is giving an 'espresso grind'...but if you are filling your espresso cup in 5 to 10 seconds...you aren't getting anywhere near the full flavor out of your coffee that you should be.
It should be just a step above powder consistency...not quite Turkish..but just about.

[badger]

Break the bank is a relative price point. Kafatek makes some of the best coffee grinders for home use. Last Saturday he opened up online pre-orders for the next batch of home grinders with delivery in 5 to 6 months. The price on the grinders runs about $2500 to $4000 each. All 80 units of this run were sold in 9 minutes.

[artie]

This is still about coffee grinders so is on the thread. I use a coffee grinder to grind millet seed. I like to get fresh flour when making pancakes and the natural path doctor I go to recommends millet or buck wheat seed. I find that I do not get as fine a grind with millet seed when using the coffee grinder and was looking for something better to grind the millet. Does anyone else grind their own flour?

[Okotok]

Originally Posted by artie

This is still about coffee grinders so is on the thread. I use a coffee grinder to grind millet seed. I like to get fresh flour when making pancakes and the natural path doctor I go to recommends millet or buck wheat seed. I find that I do not get as fine a grind with millet seed when using the coffee grinder and was looking for something better to grind the millet. Does anyone else grind their own flour?

I use a dry grain container with our Vitamix to grind coffee and wheat. Works well for that. Haven't tried millet but I'd think it would work fine for that too. They're pretty pricey but I'm sure there's some reasonably priced used ones out there.

[DLab]

Originally Posted by SamSteele

I use the Breville Smart Grinder Pro. We have had ours for a couple years and it is great. It has a plastic container as well but I don’t have any static in it. My mother has one like yours and the static drives me crazy. I also like the ability to dial in the grind to exactly what you want and you can easily switch out the beans as well.

https://www.breville.com/ca/en/produ...ee/bcg820.html

X2
Have had one 3 years,used daily,love it!
One of the best Xmas gifts I've ever got. If static's a problem ,try wiping down with a used Bounce sheet.
Now mind you ,I'm not a Barista nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

[Unregistered user]

Are the fancy burr grinders as noisy as the $50 units?

[SamSteele]

Originally Posted by Unregistered user

Are the fancy burr grinders as noisy as the $50 units?

I can’t speak for all of them, but mine isn’t as loud as a cheap burr grinder I tried. The main advantage I find is that I can adjust the coarseness and amount very simply and it remembers the settings each time. It has a very consistent grind as well, which is key to a good grinder.

[bobtodrick]

Originally Posted by Unregistered user

Are the fancy burr grinders as noisy as the $50 units?

They're not as noisy primarily (I think) because the better grinders have a lot of metal and heavy plastic in the construction that absorbs and deadens much of the sound.

[HighlandHeart]

Originally Posted by artie

This is still about coffee grinders so is on the thread. I use a coffee grinder to grind millet seed. I like to get fresh flour when making pancakes and the natural path doctor I go to recommends millet or buck wheat seed. I find that I do not get as fine a grind with millet seed when using the coffee grinder and was looking for something better to grind the millet. Does anyone else grind their own flour?

I have used one of these for about ten years. It has had between 3 and 4 hundred pounds of grain though it in that time without a hitch.

https://www.lifegrains.com/cubecart/...rain-mill.html

[Etownpaul]

I have a cheap electric burr grinder that isn’t worth mentioning, but I’ve been down the manual grinder road and all I can say is don’t do it if you plan to use it every day. It sucks to be cranking a grinder at 5 am every morning, I’d much rather just push a button when I’m 7/8 asleep.

[Unregistered user]

Mine is an Oster and it is consistent for volume and grind size as far as I can tell. To be honest I prefer the Braun push and hold device l had for years but is now re-purposed as a pepper mill for sausage making. Obviously l am no coffee nut but l can not tell the difference in taste regardless of which grinder l use, the trouble with the burr is it's so loud l take it out to the garage when l get up early weekend mornings which is most of the time or risk a grumpy family.

[teledogs]

I used a Spong manual grinder and liked the grind but it took too long for me.

Now using a Baratza Virtuoso burr grinder and like it very much.

[cfit]

Keep in mind, it's not just about the quality of the grind vs the price. The durability is important too.

Cheaper units have more plastic parts, which wear down faster than metal ones. Coffee grounds themselves are mildly abrasive. Grinder designs that use plastic impeller (the part that moves the ground coffee beans toward the container) eventually fail because the impeller gets worn down and stops doing its part, resulting in the grinder plugging up.

[Sitting Bull]

Thanks for the info guys.
I think I would get tired of the novelty of a manual grinder pretty fast. I make at least 4-5 cups of either espresso or drip a day.
The water trick of stirring in a few drops of water actually works for reducing/eliminating static in the plastic container.

[YoteStopper]

I have a Bodum Bistro burr grinder, been using it on an everyday basis for probably a year or more. Works pretty decent for prepping whole bean for drip or Aeropress use, not sure if it's finest setting would be fine enough for a "real" espresso machine but it is pretty fine.