Coffee Burr Grander

[warren5421]

My coffee burr grander gave up the ghost today. I used it for drip pot and French Press. Wife is talking about a cappuccino machine so I will need to grind for that machine also. What is a good replacement grander.

[wch]

"Cook's Illustrated" magazine suggested a blade style grinder, shaken while operating to give the same grind as a burr type for cheap.
That's what I do and it works very well.

[sparky45]

Who's Beans you prefer?

[farmbif]

just made semi annual trip to same club for big bags of members mark columbian supremeo beans. they are my favorite, ground each morning with about the least expensive walmart electric grinder. almost as good as the sello rojo my friends would bring back from Columbia

[wch]

Who's Beans you prefer?
I often buy dark roast Sam's Club or Trader Joe's.

[kerplode]

I have a Kyocerra ceramic burr grinder. It's pretty decent, but it's a hand-crank situation. It's time consuming and kind of a pain in the ass for day-to-day use.

[DougGuy]

I can tell you from previous experience if you want a GOOD grinder that grinds consistently, isn't full of plastic parts that create tons of static, and puts out very little fines, get a commercial grinder, Bunn or Grindmaster, my Grindmaster has 4" burrs, and grinds perfect retail canned coffee looking grinds with almost zero fines. Craigslist, Marketplace, Ebay, you can usually get one for somewhere near 150-200 bucks and it's the LAST grinder you will ever need to replace for regular grind coffee. Blade grinders are a poor choice.

An espresso grinder can cost you 3x as much as a commercial grinder, the home models are staticky junk.

[TyGuy]

We use a 100 year old cast iron and wood coffee grinder at our house. I think it still does a fine job.

[Nueces]

I have five years on this blade grinder: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SPEU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It grinds pretty fine, perfect for drip coffee (I use an old Gevalia BCM-4C to make 12 ounces of coffee). I tried one of the FarberWare percolators recommended by DougGuy and found that, using the same amounts of water and coffee as I use in the drip maker, the coffee came out about half strength. So, I want back to the dripper.

The grinder is quite sound and of good quality, in spite of the price. I did lay in a spare.

[DougGuy]

I tried one of the FarberWare percolators recommended by DougGuy and found that, using the same amounts of water and coffee as I use in the drip maker, the coffee came out about half strength. So, I want back to the dripper.

What perc did you get? 134? the little 4 cup? None of the percs will have a decent brew cycle if you don't fill them with water, cold water. 1/2" down from the bottom of the spout for the 4 cup model, and coffee you fill the basket to about 1/8" below the stem in the center, you will have not good coffee, but GREAT coffee. Using the ratio you use in the drip machine is not a good comparison of the abilities of the percolator, and I would not expect robust brew out of it.

Until you try it using the measurements I just posted in the above paragraph, you don't have an accurate experience. I own 3-4 of those at any given time, I have given away 10 or so to friends for wedding gifts, house warmings, etc, and they all love them. I just got one from ebay for $34 and dropped all the pieces in the lye bath I clean cast iron in, and filled it with lye solution and left it a week or two. Pulled it out today and washed it all off, it is SPOTLESS inside and out, even inside the tube and the washers and spacer around the bottom where no cleaning utensil can reach, now it looks brand spankin' new.

This one, will make excellent coffee especially when they are this clean.

[Nueces]

Yeah, Doug, a 134, the very one you recently called out to us on ebay. It is indeed a little beauty. If I follow your instructions, I will use 2 to 3 times as much coffee (Jamaican Wallenford Estate Blue Mountain) as I do now and there is no need, as I live alone. The wee Gevalia works for me to brew the amount of strong coffee I want. If there are ever two of us again, I'll try the 134 as you suggest.

I cleaned my 134 with bronze wool and then several cycles with a vinegar/water mix. It came out spotless, too.

[GhostHawk]

I was in this spot some 4-5 years ago. Happened to be reading through the homemade black powder thread where they were hydrallic pressing pucks. Drying them, break them up with a hammer, then grinding them with a ceramic burr grinder. They even posted a link to which one worked the best.

Well that was good enough for me, I bought one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P76C3DO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When I went to buy a backup a couple of years ago it was no longer available so I bought this one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F2CFSHR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1http://

It is currently 26$ and has been grinding daily since I got it. As it has a flexible top the first one lacked. Keeps the beans from spilling.
Blend changes with the seasons and the colder it is outside the more I crank.

This time of year 35 with each hand is enough for one 12 oz mug. Winter it goes up over 40.

I love mine, and I like the workout every morning.

All of my coffee gets run through an AeroPress with Metal mesh instead of paper filter. Washed soon as the coffee is poured every morning.

Makes a great cup of coffee that is truly dependable to be the same every morning.

[pmer]

We use a Cuisinart burr grinder form Target. It was around $80 and grinds from expresso to drip and French Press. It has about 15 settings but it has some static and fines troubles. Otherwise it works good.

[Mal Paso]

I got 25 years out of my Krups blade grinder, I'm on my second one. Curious I opened the first one and the brushes had warn beyond the spring pressure. I stretched the springs and and stashed the first one in case the second one breaks, then I'll have a month or two to find a new one for about $26.

[rtyler8140]

I have had the bodum burr grinder for probably 10 years now. It has served me well from French press to espresso. I used to roast my own beans and do a French press everyday, but life got busy with kids and work, so I just use ground coffee. I have started doing French press on Saturday mornings again and find the hand operated burr grinder to be more than sufficient.

[Thundarstick]

This one https://www.mrcoffee.com/accessories/coffee-grinders/mr.-coffee-12-cup-automatic-burr-grinder/SAP_2141812.html will grind fine enough for Turkish! I use it nearly every day.

[Sasquatch-1]

I don't know if you will be able to find the episode, but Americas Test Kitchen did a segment dedicated to coffee grinders. They compared blade to burr and found the burr grinders to be superior. Sorry, but I don't remember what their recommendation was.

I personally have a Cuisinart pot with the built-in burr grinder.

[Wayne Smith]

I've been using a little Mr. Coffee burr grinder for years. I have no idea if they are still available.

[pmer]

I have had the bodum burr grinder for probably 10 years now. It has served me well from French press to espresso. I used to roast my own beans and do a French press everyday, but life got busy with kids and work, so I just use ground coffee. I have started doing French press on Saturday mornings again and find the hand operated burr grinder to be more than sufficient.

I've been roasting since January and we really like it. Tried several wet process beans and I keep going back to beans from the Guatemalan Huehuetenago region.

[GhostHawk]

I like most of the southern Central American beans myself. Guatemalan, Nicoragran, etc. There are some very good beans with awesome flavor.

Wintertime here in Dakota's I add some Pablo's Pride from Amazon to my mix. Just helps me face those minus 20-40 temps without losing my composure.

[Kraschenbirn]

Talking about it will probably jinx my grinder and cause it to die tomorrow but I've used the same Cuisinart to prepare my daily ration of Kenya AA for almost ten years and it's still going strong.

Bill

[MostlyLeverGuns]

We have an OXO that does a good job. Don't grind fresh for every pot, do whole bag, 10-12-16 ounce at a time.

[alamogunr]

I just found this thread and appreciate the info from those more experienced in the art of coffee. The better half puts up with Keurig because of the convenience. I prefer drip from the Cuisinart(our 2nd). I just ordered a hand crank grinder as recommended by GhostHawk and a bag of beans. We'll see how this works. I'm sure DougGuy is right about the commercial grinders but I won't live long enough to justify the cost of one of those.

I've been doing fairly well just using Folgers Black Silk but have a small amount of some Italian coffee brought back by son and daughter-in-law from a trip to Italy. It does taste good but not sure I could find equivalent when this is gone.

I keep seeing references to French press. After trying French roast Keurig pods that tasted too much like Starbucks, not sure that is any better than my Cuisinart.

[pmer]

French press is more of a extraction method or type of brewing. It uses a more coarse grind of coffee. It consists of a glass pitcher with a metal screen that you push down like a plunger. Start by heating some water on the stove, put the ground coffee in the pitcher. Pour the water on the coffee when it reaches 195 degrees then let it sit 4 minutes and "press" the grounds down.

You can use any coffee with a little more of a coarse grind.

French roast refers more to how long it was roasted for. French roast is a darker roast meaning it spent a longer period of time in the roaster.

[rtyler8140]

Depending on which hand grinder you get, you can remove the handle and chuck the spindle in a cordless drill and run it on low speed for those morning you don't feel like cranking by hand.

[Wayne Smith]

My French press is a Mueller and is stainless - after breaking two glass carafes I bought the stainless type. My bean mix is one pound of Colombian dark roast and two pounds of Tanzanian Peaberry medium roast. Dump them in a large pot and mix thoroughly - I buy whole bean. I hold them in glass containers that prevent oxygen getting in and they work well. Right now everything I use except my grinder I got off Amazon.

[Nueces]

You coffee mavens might like to hear of a good storage bin for beans or ground coffee. Look at the stainless steel Coffee Gator Canister. It features an air tight lid with a replaceable membrane valve that selectively releases carbon dioxide from inside, promoting longer taste life. I use the medium size which perfectly holds a pound of roasted beans. My Blue Mountain beans come in pound bags with similar valves.

[farmbif]

having a very serious addiction to coffee im going to have to look into these ceramic burr grinders. never gave too much thought about how coffee is ground. I just know if I dont get my morning \dose the day just won't go to right. I keep a few pounds of Maxwell house, Folgers and a 4lb pkg of bustello jus in case. and found out the hard way to keep alternative brewing methods handy, just in case the old mr coffee gives up the ghost. its strainers and couple spare French presses from here forward.

[warren5421]

I use Costa Rica Peaberry Coffee and Kenya Peaberry Coffee most of the time. Would like to try Jamaica Blue Mountain Peaberry Coffee sometime but not at about $150/lb. The way I drink coffee I would be broke. The closer the roaster to you most of the time the better the coffee. I started out with Cafe Britt whit seems to roast very large volumes of beans. My wife was going to Costa Rica for her company around 2002-3 so would bring fresh roasted home with her. This started me on very good coffee. She has cost me loads of money doing that.

[Wag]

A blade grinder won't get you the grind you need for Espresso.

Try the Encore burr grinder. It should do the job.

--Wag--

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I've pondered getting a coffee grinder, on and off over the years, but haven't yet. I just buy preground coffee. I'm glad this topic came up. I looked at a few of the threads. Then I thought, maybe I could use my old Vitamix? I've wanted a dry container for the Vitamix, for other things...so I ordered one yesterday. A bit more than I'd pay for just a coffee grinder, but it'll have other uses, so I should be golden.

[rockrat]

If I was a coffee drinker, here is my grinder!!!
[smilie=l:301297

[jamesfe]

I use the Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder because my friend who's really into coffee recommended it. It's been 2 years, still going strong!!

[warren5421]

Just bought a 1ZPRESSO.COM manual coffee grinder JX-PRO Series Model: FGJXP2-1409. Very happy with it for 4 days. It is smooth to use and gives a constant grind. Took me 3 pots to get the right grind. My company liked the 3rd pot and all after that. My Mr. Coffee was allowing coffee to fall in the motor and also blow coffee on to the counter. My wife was not happy about that.

[DougGuy]

Here's the one that ran all the other "home" units out of the kitchen, save one KitchenAid burr grinder now relegated to grinding spices.

I think this Grindmaster was $180 out of Craigslist with new 4" burrs, I bit and never looked back! Have never regretted one cent of the asking price.

301461

[farmbif]

I found a single cup glass, pyrex I guess, French press at Ollies bargain outlet for $9.99 and its been working great. anyone familiar with Ollies they have loads of overstocked returns and reconditioned stuff. I'm just not ready to pay $150 for something that plugs in the wall that may or may not last.

nice score on the grindmaster those cost about $1000 for new one

[elmacgyver0]

I have a coffee grinder that dates back from the 1800s, as a lad I used it to grind shell corn for a geriatric American Saddlebred horse who was a cherished member of the family, oh how I miss her!
I still have that coffee grinder at age 71 and it instills fond memories every time I look at it.
I am sure it would grind coffee every bit as good as it did when it was brand new.
I no longer use it as I now use the new-fangled K-Cups brewer, but I will never part with it.

[MaryB]

If you have a blade grinder and decide to go to a burr unit don't chuck the old one! Run some oatmeal thru it to clean it out then use to to grind spices, mine gets used a lot for bulk black pepper if I am making something that needs a lot(like my 1 pound batches of BBQ rub). And that oatmeal I mentioned grinding? I use oatmeal turned to flour in meatballs and meatloaf. Makes for super moist meatballs/meatloaf!

[farmbif]

oatmeal meatballs, in stead of bread crumbs, gonna have to give that one a try. I almost bought some ground beef a couple days ago but not at $5.99lb I'll wait till there is a sale

[Wayne Smith]

If you have a blade grinder and decide to go to a burr unit don't chuck the old one! Run some oatmeal thru it to clean it out then use to to grind spices, mine gets used a lot for bulk black pepper if I am making something that needs a lot(like my 1 pound batches of BBQ rub). And that oatmeal I mentioned grinding? I use oatmeal turned to flour in meatballs and meatloaf. Makes for super moist meatballs/meatloaf!

It also works great to grind dried Rosemary. Haven't had to use it with other herbs yet, may try it with the Sage.

[Milsurp Junkie]

I have been using a Metlitta ceramic for pour through coffee. And I just added an Aeropress to try. So far, I really enjoy the Aeropress, it is quick easy and doesn't make a big mess like the french press when I clean it out. Just a puck with a bit of filter paper on it which goes to the compost pile.

[MaryB]

oatmeal meatballs, in stead of bread crumbs, gonna have to give that one a try. I almost bought some ground beef a couple days ago but not at $5.99lb I'll wait till there is a sale

I use about a cup of oatmeal per pound of ground beef. Do not over mix! That is how you get rubber meatballs!

[kerplode]

oatmeal meatballs, in stead of bread crumbs, gonna have to give that one a try. I almost bought some ground beef a couple days ago but not at $5.99lb I'll wait till there is a sale

Yes, do it! Oatmeal meatloaf/meatballs is good eatin'!

[kerplode]

I have been using a Metlitta ceramic for pour through coffee. And I just added an Aeropress to try. So far, I really enjoy the Aeropress, it is quick easy and doesn't make a big mess like the french press when I clean it out. Just a puck with a bit of filter paper on it which goes to the compost pile.

I used an Aeropress for a while. It was fast and easy, and it made a decent brew, but I wasn't super excited about the all-plastic construction. It's nice for camping, though.

I found french presses and Bodum pour-overs to be a bit of a disappointment. These days, I'm back to a stainless steel percolator. Good coffee, quick, easy to clean, no plastic.

My favorite machine ever was the old Corning Ware percolator my dad had. That thing made excellent coffee, even if every cup came with a random chance of the handle breaking off causing serious burns! :-)

[Milsurp Junkie]

Yeah, i still think the best coffee is from the blue enamaled steel percolator that we used while camping. The smell of a strike anywhere match, the smell of propane, then of coffee percolating, and finally eggs and bacon in the popup camping trailer with canvas sides are some of my fondest smells.

[JSnover]

I buy most of my coffee and accessories from Burman https://burmancoffee.com/product-category/grinders/
The grinder I use is about 15 years old and discontinued but I've not been disappointed with BCT yet. Sometimes for kicks I'll grind 'em up with my grandmother's iron-and-wood hand-crank grinder.

[almar]

I got a ceado 5sd grinder and roast my own coffee. Cant go back now. I use a kalita wave pour over or espresso from a barista pro machine from breville. A far cry from my instant days on exercise as a grunt in the military.

[Brassmonkey]

Don't get the cheap black & decker burr grinder. Dag ole jet engine noise maker.

[JSnover]

You coffee mavens might like to hear of a good storage bin for beans or ground coffee. Look at the stainless steel Coffee Gator Canister. It features an air tight lid with a replaceable membrane valve that selectively releases carbon dioxide from inside, promoting longer taste life. I use the medium size which perfectly holds a pound of roasted beans. My Blue Mountain beans come in pound bags with similar valves.
Good storage matters! Have you always roasted before storing? Mine are stored green, I discovered a ziplock bag of them that had been 'misplaced' for three-four years and they roasted up just fine.

[pmer]

Yum! Got some fresh roasting going on.

Guatemalan Huehuetenago