How to choose a grinder?Manual V.S. Electric Grinder Competition

(Image credit: Tasse Coffee ltd)

To brew a good cup of coffee, in addition to the freshness and source of the coffee beans themselves, how to make them into uniform and about the same size coffee powder is also very important.During the brewing process of coffee, the shape and size of the ground coffee determine its extraction rate, strength and taste.Therefore, choosing a suitable grinder to grind coffee powder of uniform size is an indispensable part.

Among the grinders, the most direct impact on coffee powder must be the type of cutter head, so it is very important to understand its structure and cutter head before purchasing a coffee grinder.Different cutterheads will grind different shapes of coffee powder and affect its water absorption capacity, and cutterheads are generally divided into three types: flat knives, cone knives and ghost teeth.

Flat knife:

Flat knives mainly use horizontal blades on both sides to grind coffee beans in a "slicing" way. Therefore, the coffee powder ground with the flat knife disc will be in the form of flakes.The advantage is that when brewing coffee, the surface area of the coffee powder is larger, which can help improve the water absorption capacity, and at the same time extract more substances to make the coffee more fragrant!This reduces the chances of insufficient extraction or weak coffee due to shorter brew times.However, it is not suitable to grind a large number of coffee beans at the same time with the flat knife cutter head, because the flat knife mainly relies on the motor under the cutter head to propel the coffee beans for grinding.As the bean weight increases, it increases the contact between part of the coffee bean and the blade , it is easy to cause uneven size of coffee powder.

Brewing precautions: The brewing time should not be too long, otherwise it may lead to over-extraction and make the coffee bitter.

Cone Knife:

On the contrary, the cone knife grinds in a "grinding" way, and the coffee powder is granular and less irregular.Since the cone knife is an upright knife plate, the coffee beans will go down with the knife plate directly during the grinding process. With the restriction of the size of the knife plate entrance, the coffee beans can be ground more evenly, so as to avoid the different sizes of coffee powder and affect the coffee. flavor.However, because the coffee powder is granular and similar to a hexagon, when brewing, the water absorption capacity of the particles is weak, and there are less substances that can be extracted, which makes the coffee flavor weaker.

Brewing Note: The brewing time can be slowed down so that the granules have enough time to extract.

Ghost tooth:

This cutter head combines the characteristics of flat and tapered knives to grind the coffee powder into a thinner hexagonal shape to improve the weaknesses of the flat and tapered knives, balance the uniform size of the coffee powder and the ability to absorb water. It is a gift for beginners!And many well-known grinders also use ghost tooth blades.

After understanding the characteristics of the cutter head, the ensuing question is whether a manual or electric grinder is better?

(Image credit: Tasse Coffee ltd)

Many people may mistakenly think that manual grinders are more prone to uneven coffee powder, or that the coffee powder will be thicker, but this is not necessarily the case with manual grinders.

As long as you use an average speed and force when grinding by hand, and try to fix the grinder as much as possible, the particle size of the coffee powder will be more uniform.Because hand grinders are slower than electric grinders, they generate less heat and avoid affecting coffee flavor.Therefore, it is recommended to use a slow speed when grinding beans. In addition to avoiding uneven speeds, you can also enjoy the fun of grinding beans and slow down the rhythm.

You can adjust the distance between the blades of the manual grinder to grind different thicknesses of coffee powder, so as to brew different types of coffee and strengths.Therefore, a manual grinder is no worse than an electric grinder.

In addition, another consideration when choosing a grinder is the amount of drinking.A typical manual grinder can brew one to two cups of coffee.If you want to brew a large pot of coffee in a short time, an electric grinder is recommended.

Whether the grinder is easy to carry is also one of the factors to consider. Generally, a manual grinder is more convenient than an electric grinder because it takes up less space. It can also be carried back to the company at any time or convenient for outdoor camping. out fresh ground coffee.If you use an electric grinder, you need to pre-grind coffee powder. However, if the coffee beans are not brewed in a short time after grinding, the flavor will be lost a lot, which will affect the taste and taste of coffee.

All in all, whether it is manual or electric, the key to choosing a grinder depends on the type of force disc, whether the size after grinding is uniform, and personal usage habits.For beginners or those who are interested in grinding coffee beans, the Hario manual grinder is the best choice. The operation is simple and convenient, and the grinding degree can be adjusted more flexibly to help you brew coffee that is more suitable for your taste. Tasse Coffee also has High capacity and Lightweight and small capacity The best manual grinder to meet your different needs!