Blade Grinder - Why You Shouldn't Use One
Blade grinders have a blade that looks like a propeller (think blenders). They are used to chop coffee beans. They are cheaper than burr mills, and easier to clean, but they don't produce uniform ground and can cause bitterness or excessive extraction in your coffee.
To enjoy a top-quality coffee experience, you need uniform particle distribution. This is only possible using a burr mill. It's not surprising that coffee experts hate them.
Inconsistent Grinds
If you've used a blade grinder for a long time it is likely that your grinding results have become inconsistent. This is because the machine has probably been worn down and dull. As the grinder ages it will produce different-sized pieces of beans. This produces grounds with varying degrees of coarseness. It's a challenge for your coffee maker to extract the same, balanced taste with these different-sized particles.
A blade grinder cuts the beans with a rotating blade that appears like propellers. It chops beans into smaller and smaller pieces, which are then tossed into a catcher via the screen. This technique is efficient however it doesn't provide the best grind possible for your beverage. A better option is the burr grinder. A burr grinder is equipped with powerful motors with two grinding burrs, and is a bigger machine. The burrs can be placed at a specific distance and will determine the degree of coarseness of the ground coffee.
If the burrs get too close, they will crush rather than cut the beans. The resulting grounds are less coarse and more fine. They are also more soft, which can adversely affect the taste of your coffee. On the other side, if the burrs are placed too far apart, they will result in large chunks of coarsely-ground coffee. It is important to select an espresso grinder with a setting that corresponds to the desired coarseness.
A sharp blade, when adjusted correctly, will result in a fine and consistent grind for your coffee. If you find that your grind is becoming more uneven, it's probably a good idea to replace the blade or burrs. You should also think about changing the grind setting if you haven't previously in order to aid in achieving an even grind.
It's also worth mentioning that if your grinder produces ground that has clumped together, this is an indication of worn or damaged blades. The clumping is caused by tiny particles sticking to one another and larger pieces of ground making larger granules that aren't able to dissolve in water. This will happen more often as your burrs become duller.
Uneven Extraction
Whether you're brewing drip, French press, or pour-over the size of your grounds plays an crucial role in preserving flavor. Uneven sizes of the grounds cause uneven extraction, resulting in an unbalanced cup.
The beans are cut and shredded in a random manner as they move through a blade mill, resulting in an uneven distribution of the size of the grind particles. stainless steel grinder produces smaller fragments, near-dust size particles, and everything 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 when tamping or filtering. With a burr mill, you can achieve a uniform particle size, allowing for better tamping and filtration, which prevents over-extraction. With a blade grinder, it is more difficult to attain an even grind. You might 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 generated by blade grinders are another problem. This can cause the ground to get burned and produce a bitter taste. Burr grinders create less heat and are cooler, preserving the flavor of the beans.
Another drawback of a blade grinder is that it's easy to over-grind your beans. The grinder will produce plenty of heat and your beans will eventually be pushed to the limit. This can result in a bitter drink. To avoid this, always pause your grinder before turning 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 brewing. For the best results, you'll want to utilize a burr mill as well as whole beans. You should invest in your brewing experience and purchase a grinder that is of high-quality and will meet every coffee need!
If you're ready to upgrade from your blade grinder, take a look at our top picks for most efficient burr grinders on market. Selecting the right grinder is a crucial choice that will impact the quality of your brewing and overall cup quality so consider your budget, your space and the method you prefer to use when deciding on the best grinder.
Grounds Burned Grounds
A blade grinder uses sharp blades to grind the beans. The blade rotates at high speeds, like blenders. The speed of the blade's movement generates heat, which could burn some of the coffee grounds. These particles can ruin the flavor of your coffee and aren't ideal for brewing.
To ensure a top-quality experience, a uniform distribution of particles is necessary for the best flavor extraction. This is not possible with a blade mill that breaks the beans into small and large pieces. A burr grinder, on the other hand, achieves an even distribution of particles that is reproducible over many brews.
Blade grinders have many advantages, including their low cost and speedy operation. However, they have a few disadvantages for instance, the fact that they produce heat when in use and can produce inconsistent grind sizes and have no control over the final particle size. There are ways to increase the efficiency using this type of grinder despite its inherent limitations.
When combined with a burr mill, users can easily adjust the gap between the grinding discs in order to adjust the exact ground size that they prefer. This allows them extract the desired flavours every time from their favorite coffee beans. However, making a good brew with a blade grinder requires a lot of trial and error.
Angle grinders are powerful devices that should only be employed by professionals. It can cause grinding burn when employed incorrectly. This can cause localized changes to the metallographic surface of the workpiece. This can cause cracking, which should be checked. If not, it could eventually cause macropitting and tooth fracture.
Grinding burn can be caused by a variety of factors, including excessive grinding pressure or inadequate cooling. It could also be caused by improper instruction for the operator. Wear the proper safety equipment when using an angle grinder. This includes safety glasses, a face shield and steel toe boots. This will help prevent any sparks of heat from flying off the wheel and hitting 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.
A disappointing Brew
A blade grinder chops up your beans in a random fashion and leaves you with beans which are of different sizes. The uneven ground extracts coffee at different rates, leading to the cup being bitter or weak of coffee. This ruins the balance of a great cup. The soluble compounds from your beans are slowly extracted making the flavor.
You've probably heard that using the burr mill rather than blade mills is the best method to make the best beer. Many people don't even know what a burr mill does. They purchase the cheapest blade grinders that are difficult to control and can find in supermarkets and kitchen-type places.
The grinders that are available for sale are essentially a two-pronged blade that is in the middle of an enclosed chamber. It spins quickly and chops anything it touches including your beans. You press a button to activate the device and the blade chops up your beans into a bunch of different sized pieces. Small pieces drop to the bottom and are then chopped again, while the larger pieces remain towards the top of the chamber. This results in uneven grounds which are difficult to accurately measure - which is why you aren't sure of how much ground coffee you made with your grinder.
Another problem with these grinders is that they generate lots of heat when they grind, which could damage your beans and ruin the coffee you drink. The heat also takes away some of the flavor of your beans, and you're left with a mediocre cup of coffee.
If you've been grinding your own coffee with a blade grinder It's time to put it down it and upgrade to a better. A burr mill can do the job for a fraction the cost, and will produce the same results. It's well worth the investment. If you're looking for more control over the brew, try a manual burr grinder, such as the Rhino hand grinder. These grinders are equipped with burrs however, they are powered by cranks. This gives you more control than an electrical or plug-in grinder.