Coffee Size

[Half Dog]

I am becoming very interested in coffee. Like everything else, there is enough information available to make my head spin and I’m looking for a starting place. I’ve read reviews on grinders, roasters, coffee makers, and I’ve got a list narrowed down to 500 of each.
I would like to focus on one item at a time and it seems coffee grinders are on the top of my list. Currently I drink one cup ( 3 cups according to the marks on the coffee pot) per day and I’m not a fan of adding sweetener.

Questions:
How long should a grinder last?
Recommendations on a grinder?
How to determine the size to make coffee grinds?

Any opinions and info will be greatly appreciated.

[GregLaROCHE]

The small coffee grinders work fine. I’ve owned several and none ever wore out. I would wait to start roasting your own beans until you have figured out the type you like and with what you will be making it with.

[ShooterAZ]

My wife and I use this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Braun-KSM2-WH...17789866&psc=1

We don't roast our own coffee though. We buy beans roasted locally by Late for the Train here in Flagstaff. Good stuff!

https://lateforthetrain.com/

Check for your local coffee roasting places.

[Sasquatch-1]

I have a Cuisinart coffee maker with the built-in grinder. It has lasted quite a while. I believe America's Test Kitchen did a test on grinders many years ago. They came to the conclusion that the burr grinders were far superior to the spice mill choppers that have the blades in them.

[winelover]

Wow $178 for the Braun blade grinder. We have a Krups blade grinder that ran less than $20. I use that one the most. Also have a Melita burr grinder that that hardly ever gets used. The burr grinders are better when grinding a lot of coffee. IMO. The Secura grinder on Amazon runs $36.96 and closely resembles our Melita.

Been using (CoffeeAM.com) for my bean purchases for many years.

Winelover

[Thundarstick]

I have a Mr Coffee burr mill, that except for sounding like someone is launching jet from the kitchen, has been great! It has an adjustable grind size(that's one of the best attributes of burr grinders) that's consistent. I use a Moki express pot, but sometimes use a French press. Have fun.

[Froogal]

Serious coffee drinkers simply do not have time, or the patience, to do all of that stuff. We simply buy Folgers in the 3 pound can.

[sierra1911]

I've had a Braun burr grinder since the 1980's. Use it every morning and it still works great. Don't know if the current ones are built to last decades like mine.

[SSGOldfart]

Serious coffee drinkers simply do not have time, or the patience, to do all of that stuff. We simply buy Folgers in the 3 pound can.

And Four cans to the case. My Bunn coffee pot hadn't been turned off in ten years. (Knock on wood)'only time it goes off is when the power is out.

[Half Dog]

I am enjoying the responses. Thanks guys.

[Herb in Pa]

I've had both the blade and the burr, and prefer the burr...

[sparky45]

Used to do all that stuff, but I now buy the 3# bag of Great Value from Wmart in French Roast. I usually drink a pot every morning.

[JimB..]

It’s a rabbit hole. Pick one thing and try it until you know what you want better, then make a change.

Start with a burr grinder.

See this https://www.homegrounds.co/coffee-grind-chart/

[Wayne Smith]

I've been using the Mr. Coffee burr grinder for years. The adjustable grind is necessary - if you use multiple ways to make coffee. I buy my coffee beans roasted - 2lb Tanzanian Peaberry medium roast and 1lb Colombian Dark Roast - combined and put in glass containers that keep out the oxygen. Lasts just over a month. I once made the mistake of ordering green coffee beans and learned to roast them myself - not complicated but also not a scent I want in the house. Don't have an outbuilding to put a roaster in, so I rely on others to roast it.

[GhostHawk]

The smaller the grind the more coffee flavor you can extract from a given bean.

Grind goes along with how much coffee to how much water. Like it stronger? Grind more. Weaker, grind less.

I measured my normal grind this morning. It is just short of 1/8th of a cup once ground.
If that helps anyone.

Fine grinds cost you less per cup because you use less coffee, fewer beans. With good roasted beans at 6 to 12$ a pound this can add up over time.

This is the grinder I use.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Currently 25$ at Amazon. Mine is over 3 years old now. Does minimum of 70 cranks per morning. If I am up at 4 or 5 am it will be about double that and a 20 oz brew instead of 11.

But there is also a huge difference in beans, and fresher is better. That is why so many real coffee fans end up buying green beans and roasting once a week or so.