In this article, I will be covering things that aren’t normally discussed in coffee grinding reviews. As I have stated throughout this review, the most important thing about a grinder is consistency. This was evident with every single machine we tested in the consistency section of our testing process.

Effect of grinders on coffee

Static electricity is a serious concern in the coffee industry. This can cause the ground coffee to literally jump out of the ground coffee container. You would have to see it to believe it. Have you ever noticed your hair standing on end after donning your wool sweater? No, it's not a ghost, it's a static charge. The static charge forms when the coffee is ground and then forced through a chute and into a receptacle. Factors that affect this ghostly phenomenon are the speed of the grinding burrs, the way in which the coffee exits through the chute, humidity and temperature (specifically relative humidity). It is pretty hard to control most of these factors but well worth trying since it is easy to control which grinder you use and how long you grind for. Grinders that produce more static electricity tend to create hotter temperatures due to friction generated by high speeds/feeds and metal surfaces rubbing against metal surfaces at high speeds.

Di Pacci have a good collection of home coffee grinders and commercial coffee grinders for different uses.

Blade Coffee Grinder

Different coffee grinders produce different results. Blade grinders, for example, don't always produce a consistent grind, which can affect the quality of your coffee drinks. They have a blade similar to a propeller that chops the coffee beans. The fineness of the grind is determined by how long you let the grinder operate via a built-in timer. The longer it grinds, the finer the coffee becomes.
There are some negatives to using a blade grinder, however.

For grinder parts such as grinder blades - burrs, grinder hoppers, we recommend our own di pacci parts & accessories section of grinders.

Burr Coffee Grinder

A burr grinder is the most important part of an espresso machine. The burrs are the part of the grinder that crushes the coffee beans into a uniform size which is essential for creating an awesome espresso/coffee. There are two different burr grinders, conical or flat plate. Conical Burr Grinders have two cone shaped burrs with ridges that grind/crush the coffee. Flat Plate Burr Grinders have two identical and parallel rings that are serrated on the side that faces the other. Both burr grinders have one stationary burr while the motor turns the other. The beans are drawn in between the two burrs and crushed into a uniform size.

The conical burrs are usually used on the very low-speed gear reduction grinders. The flat plate burrs are used on all qualities of grinders, from the low priced high-speed grinders all the way up to the low-speed direct drive commercial grade grinders. Both style of burrs are used in home and commercial grinders. They produce a consistent grind worthy of any high end or home espresso machine.

High Speed Burr Grinders

Higher speed burr grinders are ideal for premium quality coffee that requires a precise grind size. The grinding discs of high speed burr grinders have more precision and control than blade grinders. This results in less heat build up and more precise measures of time and distance between the burrs. The Main benefit is your coffee comes out tasting better!

Low Speed Burr Grinder

Low-speed burr grinders are the Cadillac of coffee grinders. They offer little or no static charge, very little heat and the motor does not bog down or clog up when grinding very fine. Low-speed grinders also come with either flat burrs or conical burrs and can be broken down into two categories, "direct drive" or "gear reduction" grinders.

Gear Reduction

A gear reduction grinder is a tool that can be used for multiple functions such as straightening, shaping and polishing. The gear reduction grinders have a high-speed motor that is hooked into a set of gears that reduce the speed of the burrs. Much like the gears of a bicycle which, when going up hill are shifted down to cause the rider’s legs to move quickly while the bicycle moves uphill slowly. Although these tend to be noisier than the direct drive style, they get the job done without the motor bogging down.

Direct Drive

If you're a high-end coffee enthusiast, then you'll be glad to know that there are now grinders that feature extremely high quality motors and low RPMs. The high-end direct drive grinders are the most expensive but are also the best grinders available for home or light commercial use. The low-speed motor is connected directly to the burrs so that they spin at the same speed. A lesser quality motor would bog down under the load but these high quality motors are designed to handle the load with ease. Because they spin at a low RPM, minimal heat or static is created. The final bonus is that they are whisper quiet

Dosing & Non dosing grinders

Grinder Styles: One of the first decisions when purchasing a grinder is the style you want. There are two different types of grinders, dosing and non-dosing. A dosing grinder will grind the coffee beans, then dispense them when a handle is pulled. Non-dosing grinders operate without any dispensing feature; the beans are ground directly into a receptacle such as your filter basket for an espresso machine.

The hopper is where you put the beans. The grinder is the mechanism inside that grinds up the beans. The chute is a hole in the top of the grinder where ground coffee comes out. When you use a manual grinder, there has to be a container for collecting your ground coffee, so that is what we are discussing here

Dosing Coffee Grinder

The primary purpose of a dosing grinder is to produce ground coffee. Dosing grinders are designed to collect the ground coffee into what we call the ground coffee container and then, with the pull of a handle, dispense it directly into your receptacle, such as a portafilter or press pot. The ground coffee container looks like a pie that is cut into six equally shaped pieces called sections. The ground coffee exits the grinding burrs through the chute and drops into these sections.

The mechanism includes a handle (one pull turns it one sixth of a rotation). The sections rotate around and when they reach the front of the grinder, the coffee drops through a hole and into your receptacle.

Non Dosing Coffee Grinder

Different styles of coffee grinders are designed for different purposes. Some grinders are designed to grind coffee beans directly into a portafilter for an espresso machine. Popular models of this type of grinder include the Ceado E37J, the Rocket Espresso Macinatore Fausto in black, the Eureka Atom, and the ECM C-Manuale 54.

Other coffee grinders can be used to grind beans into a removable ground coffee container or directly into a portafilter. The Baratza Grinder is an example of this type of grinder.

Stepped Coffee Grinders

There are two main types of coffee grinders: those with stepped adjustments, and those without. The reason that some manufacturers include stepped adjustments is because it allows the user to lock in the setting after making an adjustment. This is important because if the setting were to change while the grinder is in use, it could result in an inconsistent cup of coffee.

On a "self-holding" grinder, you will typically adjust the grind setting by turning either the bean hopper or an adjustment knob. As you turn it, you should hear and feel a "click" as the setting is locked into place.

If you're looking for a great espresso, you'll need a quality grinder. These grinders from Gaggia, Saeco and Capresso can help you get the perfect grind for your beans. With each click, you can change the fineness setting one level. On "Lever Release" grinders, such as the Rancilio Rocky and the Pasquini Moka, you have to push down a release lever and then turn the bean hopper to adjust the fineness setting. You will not hear any clicks as it turns.

Stepless Coffee Grinders

With a stepless grinder, you can adjust your grind to any setting you like. There are no pre-set spots that the grind setting will stop at, so you can adjust it as little or as much as you need. This gives you complete control over the coarseness of your grind, making it perfect for any brewing method.