Blade Grinder - Why You Shouldn't Use One

Blade grinders use propeller-like blades (think blenders) to chop red coffee grinder beans. They are less expensive than burr mills, and easier to clean, however they don't create a uniform ground and can cause bitterness or excessive extraction in your coffee.

To get the best coffee experience, you need uniform distribution of particles. This is only possible using burr mills. It's not surprising that coffee people who are snobs dislike them.

Inconsistent Grinds

You may have noticed that the results of your grinding aren't always consistent if you've been using a blade grinder for a long time. The machine is likely to wear out and dull. As the grinder wears down it will cut beans into various sizes. This produces grounds with varying degrees of coarseness. It's challenging for your coffee brewer to extract the same, balanced taste due to the different sizes of the particles.

Blade grinders use a propeller-like rotating blade to break beans. It chops the beans up into smaller and smaller pieces which are then put into a catcher, which is then filtered through the screen. This method is efficient however it doesn't provide the most efficient grind for your drink. Burr grinders are a better alternative. A burr grinder is a much larger machine with a powerful motor and two grinding burrs. The burrs can be set to a certain distance, which will determine the quality of the coffee being ground.

If the burrs are too close, they will crush rather than cut the beans. The result is a finer and less coarse grind. They also tend to be brittle, which can negatively impact the taste of your coffee. On the other however if the burrs are too spread out, they will produce large chunks of coarsely ground coffee. It is essential to choose a grinder with a setting that is in line with your desired coarseness.

A sharp, well-adjusted blade will result in a consistent and fine grind for your coffee. If you notice that your grind is becoming increasingly uneven, it could be time to replace the burrs or blade. If you haven't already done so, you must also alter the grind setting in order to achieve an even grinding.

If your grinder produces clumped-up grounds, it could be an indication that the blades are worn out or damaged. The clumping happens due to small particles adhering to each other and larger pieces of grounds making larger granules that aren't able to dissolve in water. This happens more frequently as your burrs get duller.

Uneven Extraction

No matter if you're using drip, French press, or pour-over the size of your ground plays an important role in flavor extraction. Uneven ground sizes lead to uneven extraction and a sloppy cup of coffee.

The beans are cut and shredded randomly as they move through a blade mill, resulting in an uneven distribution of the size of the grind particles. A blade grinder creates an assortment of larger fragments, smaller particles and everything between. These different grind sizes produce at different rates, leading to an inconsistent and often bitter cup of coffee.

The lack of uniformity also creates problems when tamping and filtration. With a burr mill you can get an even particle size, allowing better tamping and filtering, which prevents over-extraction. It is more difficult to achieve an equal grind using a blade. You may have to tap from side to side, or use the Stockfleth Method (which requires some practice).

The high speed and heat produced by blade grinders is another problem. The grounds can be burned and produce a bitter flavor. Burr grinders are cooler and don't produce as much heat, which preserves the flavor of the beans.

The blade grinder has one final disadvantage: it's easy to grind your beans too fine. The grinder can generate lots of heat, and your beans will eventually be pushed to the limit. This will result in a bitter drink. To avoid this, put the grinder off before switching it back on.

Blade grinders are an easy cost-effective method to grind coffee at home. However they're not the ideal option for those who are serious about their coffee-brewing. You'll want to stick with whole beans and burr grinders for the most effective results. Make sure you invest in your coffee making experience by purchasing a quality grinder that will deliver on every aspect of your coffee needs!

Take a look at our top picks of best burr mills on market if you're looking to upgrade your blade grinder. The type of grinder you choose will impact the quality of your brewing as well as your beverage. So, think about your budget, space and preferred method of brewing prior to making your decision.

Grounds Burned Grounds

A blade grinder employs a sharp blade to grind the beans. The blade rotates at high speeds similar to a blender. When the blade spins at a fast speed it produces heat that can cause a fire to the coffee grounds. The burned particles aren't suitable for the brewing process and can cause a bad taste in your cup of coffee.

A top-quality coffee experience requires an even distribution of particles for the best flavor extraction during the brewing process. This is not possible using a blade grinder that breaks the beans up into small and large pieces. A burr mill, however produces an even distribution of particle sizes that can be reproduced over a variety of different brews.

While the advantages of a blade grinder are its low cost and speedy operation, its major drawbacks are that it generates heat when it is used, creates irregularities in the size of the grind, and has no control over the final particle size. There are ways to increase the efficiency using this kind of grinder despite its inherent limitations.

When combined with a burr grinder, the user can easily adjust the gap between the grinding discs in order to adjust the exact ground size that they prefer. This allows them to extract all of the desired flavors from their favorite beans each time. It takes a lot of time to make a good drink using a grinder blade.

Angle grinders are a powerful tool that should only be employed by professionals. If used improperly it can result in the dangerous condition known as grinding burn, which causes localized changes in the metallographic structure of the surface of the workpiece. This could lead to cracks that, if unchecked, can eventually result in macropitting and tooth fracture.

Grinding burn is a serious problem that can be caused by a range of reasons, including excessive grinding pressure, inadequate cooling, or inadequate training for operators. Wear the correct safety equipment when working with an angle grinder. This includes safety glasses, a face shield and stainless steel coffee grinder electric toe boots. This will prevent hot sparks from flying out of the wheel and hitting nearby equipment or people. Sparks can be capable of reaching temperatures as high 3,600 degF and cause damage to materials such as paint or metal.

A disappointing Brew

A blade grinder cuts your beans randomly, leaving you with grounds that vary in size. The ground is extracted at different rates, resulting in the cup being bitter or weak of coffee. This affects the balance of a good cup. The soluble components from the beans are slowly extracted, creating the flavor.

You've probably heard that using a brewing burr grinder instead of a blade grinder is the best way to guarantee the best drink. A lot of people don't know what a burr grinder does. They buy the cheapest, uncontrollable blade grinders they can buy at supermarkets and kitchen-type places.

These cheap grinders are essentially an angled blade with two pronged edges that sit in the middle of an enclosed chamber. It spins quickly and chops everything it comes into contact with, including your beans. The blade is activated by pressing a button. It then chops your high-quality coffee grinders beans into various size pieces. The small bits are tossed to the bottom, and get chopped all over again, while the large pieces stay 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 produce plenty of heat as they grind, which could cause the beans to burn and ruin the coffee you drink. The heat can also rob some of the flavor from your beans. This can leave you with a an unappetizing cup of coffee.

If you've been grinding your own coffee using a blade grinder and you're ready to get rid of it and upgrade to something better. A burr mill can do the job for a fraction of the cost, and provide a much superior result. It's well worth the investment. Try using a manual burr mill such as the Rhino Hand Grinder if you want to have greater control over the brew. These grinders coffee have burrs, but are powered by the crank, which gives more control than an electric or plug-in grinder.