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If you are just starting out in the world of specialty coffee or you are an enthusiast of this stimulating beverage, you will soon discover that using freshly ground coffee is one of the pillars for making good coffee.

The reason is that, once ground, coffee is exposed to humidity, which degrades its properties.

In little more than a couple of weeks, it has lost all its freshness. For this reason, a ground coffee just before brewing it will always be better than one that has been ground before you know when.

But, as tempting as it may be to pick up the first grinder you see in the store, that doesn't guarantee the tasty and smooth coffee you crave.

To achieve this, you need to choose a quality grinder and use it properly. What exactly does that mean?

Let's start at the beginning...

What types of coffee grinders are there and how do they work?

Manual grinders

Manual coffee grinders require more time and effort than automatic coffee grinders, but are much quieter and more economical.

Thanks to their grinding system, they do not overheat the grain and allow you to precisely control the grinding. You can even take them with you to work or on vacation.

They are especially useful for processing methods that require minimal grinding, for example, the piston or plunger coffee brewer.for example, the plunger coffee maker or cold brew cold brew coffee. More on this subject below.

> Manual grinders at Syra Coffee: Mini Slim Plus, Mini Mill Pro y Skerton Pro.

2. Electric blade grinders

The blade grinders have a double-ended blade that rotates at high speed and shreds everything that comes in contact with it.

In our opinion, they are the least recommendable for several reasons.

The main problem is that they cut the grains inhomogeneously: while some are crushed into coarse pieces, the finer ones are pulverized as they fall to the bottom of the chamber and are repeatedly cut.

This dispersion in the grinding of the beans prevents the coffee from being correctly extracted, which is what will give us a balanced cup.

Apart from this, generally this type of coffee grinder does not allow you to choose the degree of grinding. The only option is to grind more or less time.

On the other hand, the blades lose their sharpness with use and, due to friction, become hot, which can affect the grain, and therefore the flavor.

3. Electric grinders with grinding wheels 

The grinders are the reference model in the world of specialty coffee.

They work much like pepper mills: they have two "grinder" parts that rotate in opposite directions, grinding the grains into pieces uniform in size and shape.

Basically, this means that from each small piece we will be able to extract the same amount of soluble we will be able to extract the same amount of soluble materials and this will give us a more balanced cup.

Unlike electric grinders with blades, electric grinders with grinding wheels offer various levels of grinding. grinding. In other words, they do allow you to adjust the degree of grinding.

The wheels are made of ceramic or stainless steel, which makes them more expensive, but at the same time offers two clear benefits:

- They last a long time, so the investment is very profitable.

- During milling, almost no heat is generated and, therefore, the flavors are kept intact.

If you decide on a grinder with grinding wheels, you will see that there are two types: conical grinding wheels and flat grinding wheels - the difference?

Grinders with conical grinding wheels are the most common and economical. They have two grinding wheels (one sharp and serrated on the outside and another conical one that rotates inside) mounted in a "V" that make the grains fall quickly into the friction zone. friction zone and they work very work very well.

Flat wheels have two rings mounted parallel to each other. parallel. Flat grinding wheels are usually larger than conical grinding wheels and are usually mounted on mills, therefore larger.. It could be said that they function like the grinding of teeth.. The result is a very homogeneous and precise grinding. and precise. And above all it creates less "fine particles" that can spoil the extraction of our coffee. For this reason, this type of grinder is considered to be of the best quality even though the process takes a little longer and cleaning requires more attention.

> At Syra Coffee, we recommend the flat grinder with flat grinding wheels Wilfa Uniform.

4. Automatic coffee maker with grinder

If you want to save space and gain in order and comfort, the best option is a coffee machine with an integrated grinder.

Generally, this type of coffee maker can be programmed to prepare coffee automatically, something very useful if there are many of you at home or you usually drink several cups of coffee daily.

In addition, they allow you to adjust the grinding level and even the intensity of the preparation. preparation.

However, they have some drawbacks: they tend to be more complex to use and clean, as well as heavier, bulkier and more expensive (since they have extra functions, innovative parts and more elements, such as the grinder itself). In addition, according to some experts, the results are not as good as with conventional methods or coffee makers.

> Check out these great coffee coffee makers with grinder.

What to look for when choosing a grinder for your home

In summary, before buying one model or another, consider the following:

- Dispersion: That is, the degree to which the grinder grinds all the "equal bits". Remember: the more uniform the grind, the better the grinder.

- Modes or settings : If you are going to prepare coffee in different ways (with Italian coffee maker, filter, etc.), you will need a versatile grinder that allows you to adjust the coarseness of the grind as we explain below.

- Capacity : To brew one cup of coffee, you need between. 10 y 20 grams of coffee. If you do not want to grind several batches, opt for a grinder with a large enough compartment.

- Speed: In the case of electric grinders, the slower the motor, the better, because if it turns too many times, the container can overheat and cause the aroma to disperse.

- Materials : In manual models, it is desirable that the crank handle be sturdy and non-slip. In electric models, it is preferable that the grinding wheels or blades or blades or blades should be made of ceramic or stainless steel to last longer. It is also better to have a transparent lid to control the grinding.

- Safety: To avoid accidents, some electric grinders have a function to lock when the lid is not properly put on or when the container is removed.

- Ease of use: Check if it is easy and comfortable to use, e.g., is it heavy, is the design ergonomic, can parts be removed for cleaning?

How should coffee be ground to prepare a perfect cup?

Ok, now you know the types of grinders available for grinding coffee at home and how to choose the best one for you. The next thing is: how to use it?

One of the great advantages of buying coffee beans is that you can grind it as you wish.

The question is, is it better to grind coffee finely or coarsely?

The answer is it depends.

Depending on how you are going to prepare the coffee, you will have to grind it in one way or another:

- Espresso: very finely ground. Espresso is made under high pressure, so it is advisable to grind it "as fine as possible" to extract all the components that this coffee offers us.

The espresso is a percolation system, this means that the water passes through the coffee in a short time, it does not remain in contact with it during the whole extraction, as it happens with the infusion methods. Therefore we always try to grind very fine so that together with the great pressure exerted by the machine we can extract all the flavor we want.

- Italian coffee maker: fine or medium-fine grind. This coffee maker also works under pressure, but not as high as the espresso machine. To avoid clogging, it is recommended that the grind should be a little coarser.

- V60 coffee maker: medium-fine grind. For this funnel-shaped filter coffee maker, the best grind is an intermediate to fine grind. is an intermediate to fine grind.

- Drip coffee maker: medium grind. A medium thickness allows the water to pass through the filter at an optimal flow rate.

We will grind a little coarser than the previous coffee maker, since a larger amount of coffee is usually used and we will not be able to control the water flow, which is continuously poured by the machine. 

- Piston coffee maker: medium-coarse grind. In this method of infusion the water will be in contact with the coffee at all times, this will allow us to extract all the flavor with a coarse grind, otherwise we would get bitter coffee.

- Cold brew coffee: coarse grind. It will depend on the infusion method: if it is by immersion, a coarse grind is appropriate because the coffee is submerged in water for a long time. On the other hand, if you prepare it with a drip coffee maker, the best to control the flow is a medium or medium coarse grind.

Due to the long time that the coffee spends in contact with the water we will grind the coffee quite coarse. Despite the fact that we will use cold or weather water, we will obtain a beverage full of flavor and zero bitterness.

To give you a guide, a fine grind is equivalent in thickness to fine table salt, while a coarse grind is similar to coarse cooking salt. to coarse cooking salt.

PRO TIP: If the grind is too coarse, the water will pass through without extracting enough flavor. This is known as under-extraction and produces a sour cup. On the other hand, if the grind is too fine, there will be an over-extraction that will make the coffee bitter.

Take your coffee to the next level

Even if you have a designer coffee maker, your coffees will still be mediocre if the type of grind is not the right one. adequate. That is why it is so important is so important to buy a quality coffee grinder and use it with care.

In the end, whichever grinder you choose, freshly ground specialty coffee is sure to become your new obsession. Try it and tell us about your experience!