Blade Grinder - Why You Shouldn't Use One
A blade grinder employs propeller-like blades (think blenders) to chop coffee beans. They are cheaper than burr grinders and easy to clean but they don't produce uniform ground and can cause over-extraction and bitterness in your brew.
To enjoy a top-quality coffee experience, you must have uniform distribution of the particles. This can only be achieved using a burr mill. It's no wonder that coffee experts hate burr grinders.
Inconsistent Grinds
You may have noticed your grinding results aren't consistent when you've used a blade mill for a long time. This is because the grinding device has likely become dull and worn out. As the grinder ages it will produce different sized pieces of beans. This can result in different levels of coarseness. It's difficult for your coffee brewer to get an even, balanced flavor due to the different sizes of the particles.
A blade grinder uses the same propeller-like blade to break the beans. It cuts the beans into smaller and smaller pieces which are then tossed into a catcher via the screen. This method is efficient, but it doesn't produce the finest grind possible for your beverage. A better alternative is the burr grinder. A burr grinder comes with a powerful motor with two grinding burrs, and is a much larger machine. The burrs are set at a specific distance which determines the degree of coarseness of the coffee that is ground.
If the burrs are too close to each other, they'll crush the beans rather than cut them. As a result, the ground that results are less coarse and finer. They also tend to be fragile, which could negatively impact the taste of your coffee. If the burrs on the other hand are not evenly spaced, it will result in large chunks of coarsely ground coffee. It is essential to select a grinder that has a setting that matches the coarseness you desire.
A sharp blade, adjusted correctly, will result in a consistent and fine grind for your coffee. If you notice that your grind is becoming more uneven, it might be time to replace the burrs or blade. It is also advisable to change the grind setting if you haven't done so before to help you achieve an even and consistent grind.
It's also worth mentioning that if your grinder creates ground that is clumpy it is an indication of worn or damaged blades. The clumping is caused by small particles adhering to each other and larger pieces of ground producing larger granules which don't dissolve well in water. This is more frequent as your burrs get duller.
Uneven Extraction
Whether 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 cause uneven extraction, creating an unbalanced cup.
As the beans circulate through a blade grinder they are cut and shredded randomly, resulting in an uneven distribution of grind particle sizes. A blade grinder can produce an assortment of large pieces, dust-sized particles, and everything else in between. Different grind sizes produce at different rates, which results in a sloppy and often bitter cup of coffee.
Lack of uniformity can also cause problems with tamping or filtration. With a burr grinder you can get an even particle size, allowing for more even tamping and filtration, which helps prevent over-extraction and weak beers. With a blade grinder, it is more difficult to get an even grind, and you might be tamping from side to side or using the Stockfleth method (which takes some practice).
Another problem with blade grinders is their speed and heat generation. This can cause the ground to get burned and produce an bitter flavor. Burr grinders are much cooler and don't generate the same amount of heat, which helps preserve the flavor of the bean.
Another drawback of a blade grinder is that it's easy to over-grind your beans. The grinder will generate a lot heat and eventually your grounds will be pushed to the limit. This will result in a bitter brew. To avoid this, always pause your grinder before switching it back on.
Blade grinders are a simple and inexpensive method of grinding coffee at home. However, they're not the best option for those who are serious about their coffee-brewing. For the best results, you'll want to make use of a burr mill and whole beans. Invest in a quality coffee grinder that can meet all your needs.
We've compiled a list of our top picks of best burr mills on market if you're looking to upgrade your blade grinder. Selecting the right grinder is a major choice that will impact the brewing process and overall cup quality, so take into consideration your budget, your space and your preferred brewing method when deciding on the best grinder.
professional coffee grinder Burned Grounds
With a blade grinder, you're using an extremely sharp blade that moves like a blender at a high speed to break up the beans. The blade's speedy movement creates heat, which can ignite some of 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 premium coffee experience demands a uniform particle distribution for optimal flavour extraction during the brewing process. Because a blade grinder breaks up the beans into different sized pieces, small and large it is difficult to achieve this consistency. A burr grinder, on the other hand, achieves a uniform distribution of particles that is reproducible over many types of brews.
Blade grinders have many advantages, including their low price and quick operation. However, they do have a few disadvantages for instance, the fact that they produce heat when used and produce different grind sizes, and lack control over the final particle size. There are ways to improve results using this kind of grinder despite its inherent limitations.
When combined with a burr grinder, the user can easily alter the gap between the grinding discs to fine-tune the exact ground size of their preference. This allows them to extract all of the desired flavours from their favourite roast beans every time. It takes a lot of practice to create a quality beverage using a blade grinder.
Angle grinders are powerful devices that should only be employed by professionals. When operated incorrectly it can result in the dangerous condition known as grinding burn, which causes localized changes in the metallographic structure of the workpiece's surface. This could lead to cracks that, if not addressed, can eventually result in macropitting and tooth fracture.
Grinding burn can be caused by a variety of factors, including excessive grinding pressure or insufficient cooling. It could be caused by inadequate instruction for the operator. Wear the correct safety equipment when using an angle grinder. This includes safety glasses with a face shield as well as steel toe boots. This will stop hot sparks from escaping the machine and hitting nearby equipment or people. Sparks can be capable of reaching temperatures as high as 3,600 degF, and can cause damage to materials such as paint or even metal.
Disappointing Brew
A blade grinder will chop your beans up indiscriminately and result in different-sized beans. These different sizes of grounds extract at different rates in your coffee maker, and this leads to a bitter or weak cup of coffee. This affects the balance of a good cup. The soluble compounds from the beans are extracted slowly, creating the flavor.
You've likely been told that using a burr grinder instead of a blade is the best way to ensure a great brew. Many people don't even know what a burr grinder does. They purchase the cheap, uncontrollable blade grinders they can purchase at the supermarkets or places that are kitchen-like.
These grinders are basically a two-pronged blade that is at the bottom of an enclosed chamber. It spins quickly and cuts anything it comes in contact with including beans. You press a button to activate the device and the blade chops up your beans into a variety of different sized pieces. The smaller pieces fall to the bottom of the chamber, and are again chopped, while the larger pieces remain at the top. This results in uneven grounds that are difficult to measure accurately - which is why you can't be sure of how much ground coffee you made with your grinder.
Another issue 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 grind your own coffee with a blade grinder and you're ready to get rid of it and upgrade to something better. A burr mill can complete the job at a fraction of the cost, and will produce a much superior result. It's worth it. Try using a manual burr mill such as the Rhino Hand Grinder if want to have more control over your beverage. These grinders have burrs, but are powered by cranks. This gives you more control than an electrical or plug-in grinder.