Blade coffeee grinder – Why You Shouldn’t Use One
Blade grinders use a blade that looks like a propeller (think blenders). They are used to chop coffee beans. They are cheaper than burr grinders, and are easy to clean but they do not produce uniform grounds and can cause excessive extraction and bitterness in your brew.
To enjoy a top-quality coffee experience, you require uniform distribution of particles. This can only be achieved by using burr mills. It’s no wonder that coffee people who are snobs dislike them.
Inconsistent Grinds
You might have noticed that your grinding results are inconsistent when you’ve used a blade grinder over a long time. This is because the grinding device has likely been worn down and dull. As the grinder wears out it will cut beans into different sizes. This results in ground with different degrees of coarseness. With these various-sized coffee particles, it’s difficult for your coffee maker to produce the right balance and consistency in flavor.
Blade grinders break the beans with a rotating blade that appears like an engine. It essentially chops the beans into smaller and smaller chunks, which are then dropped through a filter into the catcher. While this method works but it’s not ideal for producing the best grind for your beverage. Burr grinders are a better alternative. A burr grinder is equipped with a powerful motor, two grinding burrs and is a bigger machine. The burrs are set at an exact distance from each other and this determines the degree of coarseness of the coffee that you grind.
If the burrs are close to each other, they will crush the beans instead of cutting 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. On the other hand if the burrs are placed too far apart, they will result in large chunks of coarsely-ground coffee. It is essential to choose the grinder that’s setting corresponds to the coarseness you want.
A sharp blade, when adjusted properly, will produce a consistent and fine grind for your coffee. If you notice that your grind becoming increasingly more uneven, it’s probably best to replace the blade or burrs. It is also advisable to change the grind setting if you haven’t before in order to help you achieve an even and consistent grind.
It’s also important to note that if your grinder produces ground that is clumpy this could be an indication of worn or damaged blades. The clumping occurs when small particles adhere to each other, and larger pieces of ground, creating larger granules which don’t dissolve in water. As your burrs become more and less dull, this will occur more often.
Uneven Extraction
The size of your coffee grounds is vital for flavor extraction, regardless of whether you’re making a French press pour-over, drip brew or pour-over. Uneven sizes of the grounds can result in uneven extraction and an unbalanced cup of coffee.
The beans are cut into pieces 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. A blade grinder produces smaller fragments, near-dust size particles and everything between. Different grind sizes extract at an uneven speed, creating the coffee drink that is often bitter and inconsistent.
Lack of uniformity can also result in problems with tamping and filtration. With a burr grinder, you can attain an evenly ground particle size, allowing for more even tamping and filtering which prevents over-extraction and weak beer brews. With a blade grinder it is more difficult to get an even grind. You might find yourself tamping from side to side or using the Stockfleth method (which requires some practice).
The high speed and the heat produced by blade grinders is another problem. This could cause the ground to burn and produce a bitter taste. Burr grinders are more cool and don’t generate as much heat, which helps preserve the flavors of the bean.
A final downside of grinding with a blade is that it’s easy to over-grind your beans. Continuously running the grinder generates a lot of heat and will eventually cause your beans to be excessively extracted, which can result in bitter beverages. To avoid this, you should always stop the grinder prior to switching it back on.
The use of a blade grinder is an efficient and cost-effective method of grinding your coffee at home, but it’s not the best option for those who are serious about their coffee-making. You’ll want to stick with whole beans and use a burr grinder for the most effective results. Make sure you purchase a high-quality industrial coffee grinder grinder that can meet all your requirements.
We’ve compiled a list of our top picks of the best burr mills on the market to upgrade your blade grinder. The kind of grinder you pick will impact the quality of your brewing, as well as your beverage. So, consider your budget, space and preferred method of brewing prior to making your decision.
Burned Grounds
With a blade grinder it’s an extremely sharp blade that moves like a blender at a high speed to chop up the beans. The blade’s speedy movement creates heat, which could burn some of the compact coffee grinder grounds. The burned particles aren’t suitable for the brewing process and can leave a bitter taste in your cup of coffee.
A premium stainless steel coffee grinder electric experience demands an even distribution of particles 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 impossible to achieve this level of consistency. A burr mill, on the other hand creates a uniform distribution of particle sizes that can be reproduced across a variety of brews.
Blade grinders offer a variety of advantages, such as their low cost and quick operation. However, they have some disadvantages, such as the fact that they create heat when used and can produce inconsistent grind sizes and have no control over the final particle size. There are ways to improve results with this kind of grinder despite its inherent limitations.
When a burr mill, the user can easily adjust their desired grind size by adjusting the gap between the discs. This allows them to extract all desired flavours from their favourite roast beans every time. However, making a great drink using a blade grinder is a process that requires a lot trial and error.
Angle grinders are powerful devices that should only be used by professionals. If it is used incorrectly it could cause the dangerous condition known as grinding burn, that causes localized changes to the metallographic structure of the workpiece’s surface. This could lead to cracks that, if left unchecked could eventually lead to macropitting and tooth fracture.
Grinding burn can be caused by a variety of reasons, such as excessive grinding pressure or insufficient cooling. It can also be caused by poor instruction for the operator. Wear the appropriate PPE when working with an angle grinder. This includes safety glasses with a face shield as well as stainless steel Coffee grinder toe boots. This will prevent hot sparks from flying out of the wheel and hitting nearby equipment or people. Sparks can be capable of reaching temperatures as high 3,600 degF, and can be destructive to materials like paint or even metal.
Brew that is disappointing
A blade grinder will chop your beans up indiscriminately and leave you with different-sized grounds. The ground is extracted at different rates, which results in the cup being bitter or weak of coffee. This affects the balance of a fantastic cup – the soluble compounds from the beans are extracted slowly making the flavor.
You’ve likely heard that using a burr grinder instead of a blade is the best way to guarantee an excellent brew. Many people don’t even know what a burr mill is. They buy the cheapest, uncontrollable blade grinders they can find in supermarkets and kitchen-type places.
These cheap grinders are essentially an angled blade with two pronged edges that sit in the middle of an enclosed chamber. It spins quickly and cuts anything it comes in contact with including your beans. Press a button to activate the device and the blade chops up your beans into a plethora of different-sized pieces. The smaller pieces are tossed to the bottom, and are then chopped again, while the large pieces remain at the top of the chamber. This causes uneven ground which are difficult to measure.
These grinders can also burn your beans which can ruin the coffee. The heat can also rob some of the flavor of your beans. The result is a a less than delicious cup of coffee machine grinder.
If you’ve been grinding your own coffee with a blade grinder, it’s time to retire it and upgrade to something better. A burr grinder will accomplish the trick for a fraction of the price and deliver a much better result. It’s well worth the investment. If you’re looking for more control over the brew Try a manual grinder such as the Rhino hand grinder. These grinders feature burrs however they are powered by a crank, which provides more control than an electric or plug-in grinder.
