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 cheaper than burr mills and are easy to clean, however they don’t produce uniform ground and can result in bitterness and over-extraction in your brew.
A first-class coffee experience demands uniform particle distribution, something that is only possible with a burr grinder. It’s no wonder coffee experts hate burr grinders.
Inconsistent Grinds
If you’ve been using a blade grinder for a while, the chances are your grinding results have become inconsistent. This is because the machine has likely been worn down and dull. As the grinder ages it will produce different-sized pieces of beans. This results in ground with different levels of coarseness. It’s challenging for your coffee maker to get an even, balanced flavor with these various-sized particles.
Blade grinders break beans by rotating a blade that looks like propellers. It chops beans into smaller and smaller pieces, which are then put into a catcher through a screen. This technique is efficient, but it doesn’t produce the finest grind possible for your beverage. Burr grinders are a better choice. A burr grinder has powerful motors with two grinding burrs, and is a bigger machine. The burrs can be set at a specific distance, which will determine the quality of the ground coffee.
If the burrs are too close to each other, they’ll crush the beans rather than cut them. The result is a finer more refined, less coarse ground. They also tend to be soft, which can adversely affect the taste of your coffee. If the burrs however, are too far apart, it will result in large chunks of coffee that have been coarsely ground. It is important to select an espresso grinder that has a setting that is in line with your desired coarseness.
A sharp blade, adjusted properly, will produce a consistent and fine grind for your coffee. If you notice that your grind is becoming more and more uneven, it’s probably a good idea to replace the blade or burrs. You should also consider changing the grind setting in case you haven’t already, as this will aid in achieving an even and consistent grind.
It’s also worth noting that if your machine produces clumped up grounds it is an indication of worn-out or damaged blades. The clumping occurs due to small particles adhering to one another and larger pieces of grounds producing larger granules which don’t dissolve well in water. This is more frequent as your burrs get duller.
Uneven Extraction
If you’re brewing drip, French press, or pour-over, the size of your grounds plays an crucial role in preserving flavor. Uneven ground sizes lead to uneven extraction and an unbalanced cup of coffee.
As the beans circulate through a grinder blade, they are cut and shredded randomly, leading to an uneven distribution of the grind particle sizes. A blade grinder can create a mixture of large pieces as well as dust-sized particles and everything between. Different grind sizes 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 achieve a uniform particle size, which allows for better tamping and filtration which prevents over-extraction. With a blade grinder, it is more difficult to achieve an even grind, and you may encounter tamping that is inconsistent from side to side or using the Stockfleth method (which requires some time to master).
The high speed and heat produced by blade grinders is another issue. This could cause the ground to burn and create a bitter taste. Burr grinders produce less heat and are cooler, which preserves the flavor of beans.
The blade grinder has one last disadvantage: it is easy to grind your beans to a fine. The grinder can generate plenty of heat and eventually your grounds will be over-extracted. This will result in a bitter drink. To avoid this, always pause your grinder before switching it back on.
Blade grinders are a simple, 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 best results, it is recommended to use a burr mill and whole beans. Invest in a quality coffee grinder that can meet all your requirements.
If you’re ready to upgrade from your blade grinder, look through our top picks for the best burr grinders on the market. Choosing the right type of grinder is a major choice that will impact your brewing and overall cup quality, so consider your budget, your space, and your preferred brewing method when deciding on the best grinder.
Grounds Burned Grounds
With the blade grinder it’s a sharp blade that spins like a blender at a high speed to chop up the beans. The blade’s rapid movement produces heat, which can burn some of the coffee grounds. These particles can ruin the taste of your coffee and are not suitable to brew.
A premium coffee experience demands an even distribution of particles for the best flavor 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 other hand, produces an even distribution of particle sizes that can be reproduced across a variety of beverages.
Blade grinders have many advantages, such as their low price and quick operation. However, they do have some disadvantages, such as the fact that they produce heat when they are in use and can produce inconsistent grind sizes and are not able to control the final particle size. There are ways to improve results with this type 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 of their choice. This lets them extract all of the desired flavors from their favorite roasted beans every time. It requires a lot of practice to create a quality 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 a dangerous condition known as grinding burn which causes localized changes in the metallographic structure of the workpiece’s surface. This can cause cracks that, if left unchecked could eventually lead to macropitting and tooth fracture.
Grinding burn is a serious problem that can be caused by a range of factors, including excessive grinding pressure, inadequate cooling, or inadequate training for operators. If you plan on using an angle grinder, make sure you wear the appropriate PPE, including gloves with a face shield safety glasses, stainless steel manual coffee grinder toe boots and long sleeves. This will prevent hot sparks from flying out of the wheel and hitting nearby equipment or people. Sparks can reach temperatures as high as 3,600 degF, and can burn through the materials like paint or even metal.
Brew that is not what you expected.
A blade grinder can chop your beans in a random manner and leave you with different-sized ground. The uneven ground extracts coffee at different rates, leading to a weak or bitter cup of coffee. The problem with this is that it can ruin the balance that makes a great cup of coffee. The soluble compounds in your beans are extracted over time, which creates the flavor that makes your coffee delicious.
You’ve likely heard that using a brewing burr grinder instead of a blade is the best way to guarantee the best Burr Grinder drink. But many people don’t know how to use a grinder or even what it does so they opt to buy one of the cheap, uncontrollable, blade grinders that are easily found in grocery stores and kitchen-type places.
Basically, these cheap grinders have a double-pronged blade at the bottom of the chamber that spins rapidly and cuts up whatever it hits including ceramic coffee grinder beans. Press a button to activate the device, and the blade chops up your beans into a variety of different sized pieces. The small pieces fall to the bottom of the chamber, and are chopped again, while the larger pieces remain at the top. This results in uneven grounds which are difficult to measure accurately – which is the reason you can’t be certain of the amount of ground coffee your grinder produced.
Another issue with these grinders is that they produce 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. This can leave you with a not the best cup of coffee.
If you’ve grind your own coffee with a blade grinder, it’s time to retire it and upgrade to a more powerful. A burr grinder will do the job at only a fraction of the cost and provide a better result. It’s worth it. If you’re looking to have more control over your beverage, try a stainless steel manual coffee grinder burr grinder, such as the Rhino hand grinder. These grinders coffee feature burrs however they are powered by a crank, which provides more control than a plug-in or mini electric coffee grinder grinder.