Coffee Grinders???

[longknocker]

Question For The Coffee Experts: I'm Not Really Into Roasting My Own Coffee, Etc., But I Do Like A Fresh, Good Tasting Brew. I Have A Cheap Braun Grinder Now. Any Recommendations For A Good Grinder That Won't Break The Bank? Does It Really Make A Difference In The Taste? I Order Britt Costa Rica Beans From Miami & Get Them In 2 Days, Usually. Thanks For Your Advice!

[jjirons69]

(Clips from the other thread)

Greg, I have a Capresso burr grinder that goes way too fast, makes way too much noise, and leaves me with lots of staticy grounds. It's just a messy bastig! Plus, there is that dust in the grind that makes a fine sludge in the pot (which my wife hates). I was thinking maybe the manual grind would be more consistent and since it wasn't at such a high speed, the static wouldn't be generated. Here's a look at my current grinder.

The pretty picture with the non-static coffee is total BS, too. With that much grinding, there would be a clouded mess in the catch container.



I got this little gem early in Dec. I grind 1/2 cup of beans daily. Takes a few minutes (or about 160-170 turns, as I have OCD). I like the grind a lot better than that other leaf mulcher I have, though I kept it for emergencies. It's a really solid unit and perfect for our situation. It's portable and cheap ($30ish) and should last a good long while.



A video from our own resident techninja:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PStP7XS88CE

[longknocker]

Thanks For The Input, JJ! I Think What I'm Looking For, Though, Is A Good, Relatively Inexpensive Electric Grinder That Holds At Least 12 Oz. Of Beans At A Time. I Have To Empty My Braun 6-7 Times When Grinding A 12Oz.Bag.

[Blak Smyth]

Greg, how are you preparing your coffee? Drip, Press, etc...?

Typically you will want a burr grinder, what is "Cheap" to you?
You can snag many different burr grinders for around $50 but to get a really good one you will need to spend a bit more.



This Baratza has good reviews for regular coffee, you might want better for espresso though.
This is cheap IMHO in the world of good coffee grinders $129.00 @ SeattleCoffee

If you are just pressing your coffee you can use almost any grinder with decent results although it is best with a consistent coarse grind.

[mosesbotbol]

I'd go for the Mazzer Mini or Rancillio Rocky. Yes, initially they are more expensive that you want to spend, but in the big picture will be money well spent. After the initial spend, you'll be more than happy 100%!

[shilala]

Greg, I have a weed whacker like Jamie has. At a time I used it daily, now I seldom use it, but only because I seldom grind beans.
Mine is a different brand and a little differnt shape, but essentially the same. It has the same shortcomings as Jamie's, but I've always been pleased enough with it.
It's inexpensive enough to give it a shot, $46.50 at Amazon, free shipping.
I'm thinking it was closer to $60.00 when I bought mine. I bought one for Todd (revsmoke) awhile back, I believe we traded cigars or something. You might ask him what he thinks?

[Blak Smyth]

Originally Posted by shilala

Greg, I have a weed whacker like Jamie has. At a time I used it daily, now I seldom use it, but only because I seldom grind beans.
Mine is a different brand and a little differnt shape, but essentially the same. It has the same shortcomings as Jamie's, but I've always been pleased enough with it.
It's inexpensive enough to give it a shot, $46.50 at Amazon, free shipping.
I'm thinking it was closer to $60.00 when I bought mine. I bought one for Todd (revsmoke) awhile back, I believe we traded cigars or something. You might ask him what he thinks?

Same machine I have here at the office for french presses, cheap and does the job but not close to as good as the more expensive units. I would prefer this machine make a more coarse grind though. It creates tons of that sludge dust too but it is 100 times better than my old blade grinder.

[timj219]

Baratza encore is about $130. It's a replacement for their maestro model. I'm very happy with the maestro and the encore is reputed to be better.

[Blak Smyth]

Originally Posted by timj219

Baratza encore is about $130. It's a replacement for their maestro model. I'm very happy with the maestro and the encore is reputed to be better.

The encore I posted the link above, it has a video talking about the recent upgrades.

[timj219]

Originally Posted by Blak Smyth

The encore I posted the link above, it has a video talking about the recent upgrades.

Great minds run in the same gutter

[Blak Smyth]

Originally Posted by timj219

Great minds run in the same gutter

Sounds like it has improved greatly

[longknocker]

Thanks For All The Good Advice, My Friends! The Encore Sounds Good To Me. I Use A Drip Capresso Machine. Does The Coffee Really Taste That Much Better With A Good Grinder? How Fine Or Coarse Should I Grind It? I Also Use A Paper Filter Inside My Gold Permanent Filter. Does This Reduce The Coffee Flavor? Just Using It To Avoid The Mess. Thanks!

[Blak Smyth]

Originally Posted by longknocker

Thanks For All The Good Advice, My Friends! The Encore Sounds Good To Me. I Use A Drip Capresso Machine. Does The Coffee Really Taste That Much Better With A Good Grinder? How Fine Or Coarse Should I Grind It? I Also Use A Paper Filter Inside My Gold Permanent Filter. Does This Reduce The Coffee Flavor? Just Using It To Avoid The Mess. Thanks!

I would go as fine as possible without creating sludge if you are using the paper. You may be able to course it up a bit and use only the gold filter. The paper filter shouldn't take anything away flavor wise, I wouldn't think. The difference in a good grinder will not be overwhelming when being used in a drip machine however you will be able to dial in an exact grind that will work better. Have you ever used a French Press? I would HIGHLY recommend this technique but with a more coarse grind. Once I started I never went back to drip again. FPs are cheap too, which is good because I have gone through several due to drops. The nice thing about that grinder you showed interest in is that it will be good for all types of coffee as your technique may change over time. They say you could even use it for espresso but I would argue that it wouldn't be ideal. With Tim being a user of the version prior to upgrades and speaking highly of it, I would say go for it.

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by shilala

Greg, I have a weed whacker like Jamie has. At a time I used it daily, now I seldom use it, but only because I seldom grind beans.
Mine is a different brand and a little differnt shape, but essentially the same. It has the same shortcomings as Jamie's, but I've always been pleased enough with it.
It's inexpensive enough to give it a shot, $46.50 at Amazon, free shipping.
I'm thinking it was closer to $60.00 when I bought mine. I bought one for Todd (revsmoke) awhile back, I believe we traded cigars or something. You might ask him what he thinks?

I love it! Been using it daily since that trade/gift/whatever it was. I don't know how it would hold up to doing a pound a day, but we do 10 cup grinds every day and it has been wonderful.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[BlindedByScience]

I've had a Baratza for several years and just love the thing. Grinds nice and course for french press or as fine as you want for espresso. We got the Virtuoso; a bit pricey, but it works flawlessly..:

http://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Virtuo.../dp/B006MLQHRG

Found out that you can often buy refurbished grinders direct from Baratza. None currently on the page, might give them a call and see when they expect to have some more. That's what I'd do if I were in the market today..:

http://www.baratza.com/

[Zane]

I wish I like coffee!

[ZachF88]

I used to use Zassenhaus Coffee Mill



However, I was gifted a Nespresso machine and $100 coffee credit for my bday and xmas. Thus far, I love it! But once my credit expires, it's going to be costly!

[longknocker]

Originally Posted by Blak Smyth

Greg, how are you preparing your coffee? Drip, Press, etc...?

Typically you will want a burr grinder, what is "Cheap" to you?
You can snag many different burr grinders for around $50 but to get a really good one you will need to spend a bit more.



This Baratza has good reviews for regular coffee, you might want better for espresso though.
This is cheap IMHO in the world of good coffee grinders $129.00 @ SeattleCoffee

If you are just pressing your coffee you can use almost any grinder with decent results although it is best with a consistent coarse grind.

Just An Update, All! Thanks For All The Awesome Advice, My Friends!

Received The Above Baratza Encore Grinder For Father's Day & Purchased This: For A Early Birthday Present For Myself!

http://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/tec...olished-silver
Now I'm Learning What Quantity Of Coffee To Use & What Grind To Use On My Grinder To Suit My Tastes. So Far, The Recommended Amount Of Coffee Per Cup Is Much Stronger Than I'm Used To!

[Blak Smyth]

Originally Posted by longknocker

Just An Update, All! Thanks For All The Awesome Advice, My Friends!

Received The Above Baratza Encore Grinder For Father's Day & Purchased This: For A Early Birthday Present For Myself!

http://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/tec...olished-silver
Now I'm Learning What Quantity Of Coffee To Use & What Grind To Use On My Grinder To Suit My Tastes. So Far, The Recommended Amount Of Coffee Per Cup Is Much Stronger Than I'm Used To!

Awesome Greg! Looks like a great setup brother!

[longknocker]

Originally Posted by Blak Smyth

Awesome Greg! Looks like a great setup brother!

I'm Really Enjoying It, Shane! I'm Now Using The Recommended 6 Scoops Or 12 Tablespoons/10 Cups & The Coffee Is Smooth & Robust, But I Only Need 1/2 A Pot With All That Caffeine!