Blade Grinders vs. Burr Coffee Grinders

Grinding your own coffee beans is something that anyone can do with a home grinder. Fresh ground beans make for amazing tasting coffee. You have many options in coffee grinders. You can chose blade grinders or burr coffee grinders. Both types of advantage sand disadvantages.

Blade Coffee Grinders

Blade coffee grinders use metal blades to chop up the beans. The fineness of the beans is determined by how long you grind them. One issue with a blade coffee grinder is that grinds can be uneven in size and getting the right fineness can be difficult.

The blades also get very hot and the heat can damage the taste in the beans. Blade grinders are considered a basic grinder. They can be fine if you just want to grind beans without expecting the superb taste in your coffee.

Burr Coffee Grinders

Burr coffee grinders crush the beans instead of chopping them. A burr coffee grinder uses a wheel that grinds against a flat surface. The position of the burr determines the fineness of the grind. It is much easier to regulate than with a blade coffee grinder. There are two different types of burr coffee grinders:

wheel burr
conical burr

Wheel Burr

A wheel burr grinder is the less expensive wheel burr grinder. It has a wheel that spins quickly and it can be a bit noisy. They also can be a little messy due to the high speeds.

Conical Burr

A conical burr grinder is the top of the line of burr coffee grinders. The burr spins slower, which makes them quieter and cleaner. It also will not clog so it is perfect for oily or flavored coffees.

In general, burr coffee grinders provide you with a fine quality grind and finished product. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to coffee grinders.

If you want high quality, but an affordable price then you should consider the wheel birr grinder. If you want the best all around grinder and are willing to pay for it then go with the conical burr grinder.

When compared to blade grinders, burr grinders always come out on top except where price is concerned. Burr grinders are more expensive, even the lowest priced ones but that is because the quality of grind is much better. It is even and there is less flavor loss. Blade grinders are great for non-coffee needs, such as grinding spices.

In the end, all that matters is that you get the best tasting coffee. Any coffee ground at home instead of bought already ground is going to taste superior. However, when you are a real coffee lover you want the best tasting home ground coffee and for that you need a burr grinder.

I wrote a guide you may be interested in reading: commercial espresso machine and electric coffee makers

Burr Coffee Grinders

krups burr coffee grinder

Blade Grinders vs. Burr Coffee Grinders

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