Blade Grinder - Why You Shouldn't Use One
A blade grinder uses an e-type propeller (think blenders) to chop coffee beans. They are cheaper than burr mills and are easy to clean, but they don't produce uniform ground and can result in bitterness and excessive extraction in your coffee.
For a first-class coffee experience, you need uniform distribution of particles. This can only be achieved using burr mills. It's no wonder coffee people who are snobs dislike burr grinders.
Inconsistent Grinds
If you've been using a blade grinder for some time there's a good chance that your grinding results have changed. This is because the machine has likely become worn out and dull. As the grinder gets older, it will produce different-sized pieces of beans. This can result in different degrees of coarseness. With the different sizes of coffee particles, it's difficult for your coffee maker to extract the right balance and consistency in flavor.
Blade grinders use an e-rotating blade that resembles a propeller to break the beans. It essentially chops the beans into smaller and smaller pieces and then drops them through a screen into a catcher. Although this method is effective, it's not ideal to get the perfect grind for your beverage. Burr grinders are a better option. A burr grinder comes with powerful motors with two grinding burrs, and is a larger machine. The burrs are set to the exact distance from one another and this determines the degree of coarseness of the coffee that you grind.
If the burrs are too close, they crush rather than cut the beans. As Coffeee , the resulting grounds are less coarse and more fine. They can also be brittle and affect the flavor of your coffee. If the burrs on the other hand are too far apart they will result in large chunks of coarsely ground coffee. It is crucial to select the coffee grinder with an appropriate setting to match the level of coarseness you want.
A sharp, well-adjusted blade will yield an even and fine grind for your coffee. If you notice your grind is becoming more and more uneven, it's best to replace the blade or burrs. You should also consider changing the grind setting if you haven't done so already in order to allow you to achieve an even grind.
If your grinder is producing clumped-up grounds this could be a sign that the blades are worn or damaged. The clumping is caused by small particles adhering to each other and larger pieces of ground making larger granules that aren't able to dissolve in water. As your burrs grow and more dull, this is more frequent.
Uneven Extraction
Whether you're brewing drip, French press, or pour-over the size of your grounds play an crucial role in preserving flavor. Uneven ground sizes lead to uneven extraction and an unbalanced cup of coffee.
The beans are cut and shredded randomly when they go through the blade mill, resulting in an unbalanced distribution of grind particle size. A blade grinder creates smaller fragments, small particles, and everything in between. The different sizes of grinds extract at uneven rates leading to an inconsistent and often bitter cup of coffee.
In addition, the lack of uniformity causes problems with the tamping process and filtration. With a burr mill you can get an even particle size, allowing better tamping and filtering, which can prevent excessive extraction. It is more difficult to achieve an equal grind with a blade grinder. You may have to stamp from side to side or use the Stockfleth Method (which requires some practice).
Another issue with blade grinders is their speed and high heat generation. This can cause the ground to get burned and create a bitter taste. Burr grinders produce less heat and are cooler, preserving the flavor of beans.
The blade grinder has one final disadvantage: it's easy to grind your beans too fine. Keeping the grinder running continuously produces heat, and eventually causes your beans to be excessively extracted, which can result in bitter beverages. To avoid this, always stop the grinder before turning it back on again.
Blade grinders are a convenient, inexpensive way to grind coffee at home. However they're not the best option for those who are serious about their coffee-brewing. For the most effective results, you'll need to use a burr mill and whole beans. Consider investing in a top coffee grinder that can meet all your needs.
If you're ready to upgrade from your blade grinder, take a look at our top picks for top burr grinders available on the market. Choosing the right type of grinder is an important 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 making your decision.
Grounds Burned Grounds
A blade grinder employs sharp blades to grind the beans. The blade spins at high speeds, like a blender. When the blade spins at a quick pace it produces heat that can cause a fire to the grounds of coffee. These charred particles aren't good for the brewing process and will create an unpleasant taste in your cup of coffee.
A first-class coffee experience demands a uniform particle distribution for optimal flavour extraction during the brewing process. Since blade grinders break the beans into varying size pieces, small and large it is difficult to achieve this consistency. A burr mill, on the contrary creates a uniform distribution of particles sizes that can be replicated over a variety of different brews.
Blade grinders have many advantages, including their low cost and speedy operation. However, they do have some disadvantages, such as the fact that they generate heat when in use, produce inconsistent grind sizes, and lack control over the final particle size. There are ways to increase the efficiency using this type of grinder, despite its inherent limitations.
When a burr mill, the user is able to easily adjust their desired ground size by adjusting the distance between the discs. This lets them extract all desired flavours from their favourite roasted beans every time. It requires a lot of practice 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 an unsafe condition known as grinding burn, which can cause localized changes in the metallographic structure of the workpiece's surface. This can lead to cracking that, if not addressed could eventually lead to macropitting and tooth fracture.
Grinding burn is a serious issue that can be caused by a variety of reasons, including excessive grinding pressure, inadequate cooling, or inadequate training for operators. Wear the proper safety equipment when using an angle grinder. This includes safety glasses, a face shield and steel toe boots. This will stop any hot sparks from flying off the machine and striking equipment or people near by. These sparks are capable of reaching temperatures as high 3,600 degF, and can be destructive to materials like paint or metal.
Brew that is disappointing
A blade grinder chops up your beans randomly, leaving you with grounds which are of different sizes. The ground is extracted at different rates, which results in the cup being bitter or weak of coffee. This affects the balance of a good cup - the soluble compounds from your beans are slowly extracted and create the flavor.
You've probably heard that using a burr grinder instead of a blade grinder is the best way to ensure the best beverage. However, many people don't know how to use a grinder or even what it does, so they buy one of the inexpensive, inflexible blade grinders readily available in supermarkets and other kitchen-type places.
The basic idea is that these grinders have a blade with two pronged at the bottom of the chamber that spins fast and chops up anything it comes into contact with such as coffee beans. The blade is activated by pressing a button. It then chops coffee beans into various sizes. Small pieces are pushed to the bottom of the chamber, and are chopped again, 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 your grinder made.
These grinders can also cause burns to your beans and ruin the coffee. The heat can also take away some of the flavor of your beans. The result is a a less than delicious cup of coffee.
If you've been grinding your own coffee with a blade grinder and you're ready to get rid of it and upgrade to a more powerful. A burr grinder will do the job at only a fraction of the cost and will give a superior result. It's worth it. Try using a manual burr mill such as the Rhino Hand Grinder if you would like to have more control over your beverage. These grinders have burrs, however, they are powered by the crank. This gives you more control than an electrical or plug-in grinder.