A Productive Rant About Blade Grinder
Blade Grinder – Why You Shouldn't Use One Blade grinders use blades that resemble propellers (think blenders). They are used to chop coffee beans. They are less expensive than burr mills and easy to clean, however they don't create a uniform ground and can cause bitterness and excessive extraction in your coffee. A top-quality coffee experience requires uniform distribution of the particles which can only be achieved by using a burr grinder. This is why coffee snobs hate burr grinders. Inconsistent Grinds You might have noticed that your grinding results aren't consistent in the event that you've used a blade grinder over a long time. The machine is likely to be worn out and dull. As the grinder ages it will produce different sized pieces of beans. This will produce grounds with different degrees of coarseness. With these different-sized coffee particles, it's difficult for your coffee maker to produce an even, consistent flavor. A blade grinder uses the same propeller-like blade to break the beans. It essentially chops the beans into smaller and smaller pieces and then drops them through a filter into the catcher. This method is efficient however it's not the most efficient grind for your brew. Burr grinders are a better choice. A burr grinder is a larger machine with a powerful motor and two grinding burrs. The burrs are set at a specific distance which determines the quality of the coffee that is ground. If the burrs are too close together, they will pulverize the beans instead of cutting them. As a result, the ground that results are less coarse and more fine. They can also be brittle and alter the taste of your coffee. On the other hand if the burrs are placed too spread out, they will produce large chunks of coarsely ground coffee. It is important to select an espresso grinder that's setting corresponds to the coarseness you want. A sharp blade, when adjusted properly, will produce an even and consistent grind for your coffee. If you find that your grind is becoming more and more uneven, it's a good idea to replace the blade or burrs. You should also think about changing the grind setting in case you haven't already in order to help you achieve an even and consistent grind. If your grinder produces clumped-up grounds it could be a sign that the blades are worn or damaged. The clumping is caused by small particles adhering to one another and larger pieces of ground producing larger granules which do not dissolve well in water. As your burrs get more and dull it will happen more frequently. Uneven Extraction If you're brewing drip, French press, or pour-over the size of your grounds play an important role in flavor extraction. Uneven ground sizes can lead to uneven extraction and an unbalanced cup of coffee. When the beans are pushed through a blade grinder they are cut and shred randomly, resulting in an uneven distribution of the grind particle sizes. A blade grinder can create a mixture of large fragments that are dust-sized, as well as everything between. These different grind sizes produce at different rates, leading to an inconsistent and often bitter cup of coffee. Lack of uniformity can also cause problems when tamping or filtering. With a burr mill, you can attain an evenly-sized particle size allowing for more even tamping and filtration, which helps prevent over-extraction and weak brews. With a blade grinder it is more difficult to achieve an even grind, and you might be tamping from side to side or using the Stockfleth method (which takes some time to master). Another problem with blade grinders is their high speed and high heat generation. This can cause the ground to get burned and produce an bitter flavor. Burr grinders generate less heat and are cooler, thus preserving the flavor of the beans. Another drawback of grinding with a blade is that it's extremely easy to over-grind your beans. Keeping the grinder running continuously generates a lot of heat, which can cause your grounds to become excessively extracted, which can result in a bitter brew. To avoid this, pause your grinder before switching it back on. Blade grinders are a convenient cost-effective method to grind coffee at home. However they're not the best choice for those who are serious about their brewing. You should stick to whole beans and a burr grinder for the best results. Invest in a quality coffee grinder that will meet all your needs. If you're ready to upgrade your blade grinder, check out our top picks for top burr grinders available on the market. The kind of grinder you pick will affect the quality of your brewing as well as your cup. So, consider your budget, space, and preferred method of brewing before making a decision. Burned compact coffee grinder With a blade grinder is a sharp blade that rotates like a blender at a high speed to break up the beans. The blade's speedy movement creates heat, which can burn some of the coffee grounds. These particles can ruin the taste of your coffee and aren't ideal to brew. For a first-class experience the uniform distribution of particles is essential to ensure the best flavor extraction. This is not possible using a blade grinder that is able to break the beans into large and small pieces. A burr mill, on the contrary creates a uniform distribution of particle sizes that can be replicated over a variety of beverages. While the advantages of a blade grinder include its low price and fast operation, its major drawbacks are that it generates heat during use, produces inconsistencies in grind size, and lacks control over final particle size. There are ways to improve the results with this kind of grinder despite its inherent limitations. When a burr mill, the user is able to easily adjust their desired ground size by adjusting the gap between the discs. This lets users to extract the desired flavor every time from their favourite coffee beans. However, creating a quality drink using a blade grinder is a process that requires a lot trial and error. Angle grinders are powerful tools that should only be used by professionals. When operated incorrectly it can result in the dangerous condition known as grinding burn, that causes localized changes to the metallographic structure of the workpiece's surface. This could cause cracks, which, if not checked, could eventually cause teeth fracture and macropitting. Grinding burn is a major issue that can be caused by a variety of factors, including excessive grinding pressure, inadequate cooling, or improper operator training. If you plan on using an angle grinder, be sure to wear the proper PPE including gloves, a face shield, safety glasses, steel toe boots and long sleeves. This will stop hot sparks from escaping the machine and hitting nearby people or equipment. The sparks can reach temperatures as high as 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit and are capable of burning through paint or even metal. Brew that is disappointing A blade grinder can chop your beans up indiscriminately and leave you with different-sized grounds. This uneven ground extracts at different rates, resulting in an unbalanced or bitter cup of coffee. This can ruin the balance of a fantastic cup. The soluble components from the beans are extracted slowly making the flavor. You've probably heard it said that using a burr mill instead blade mills is the best way for an excellent brew. A lot of people don't know what a burr mill does. They purchase the flimsy, uncontrollable blade grinders they can purchase at the supermarkets or kitchen-type places. The grinders that are available for sale are essentially a two-pronged blade that is at the bottom of an enclosed chamber. It spins fast and chops everything it comes into contact with, including beans. You press a button activate the device, and the blade chops up your beans into a variety of different-sized pieces. The smaller pieces fall to the bottom and are chopped again, while the larger pieces remain towards the top of the chamber. This results in uneven grounds that are hard to measure accurately. This is why you can't be sure of how much ground coffee your grinder produced. Another problem with these grinders is that they create a lot of heat while they grind, which can cause the beans to burn and ruin your coffee. The heat can also rob some of the flavor of your beans. The result is a not the best cup of coffee. If you've been grinding your own coffee with a blade grinder It's time to put it down it and upgrade to a better. A burr mill will do the job at a fraction of the cost, and will produce a much superior result. It's worth it. If you're looking to have more control over the brew Try a manual grinder such as the Rhino hand grinder. These grinders have burrs, however they are powered by a crank, which provides more control than an electric or plug-in grinder.