Few things compare to the pleasures of enjoying a fresh, rich, cup of coffee. With more than 2.5 billion cups gulped down each day, coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages around the world, and a staple across several cultures. Now, while pre-ground coffee is a perfectly good and affordable choice for many, purchasing your own beans and grinding them yourself is guaranteed to elevate your coffee experience. You’ll get those bold, complex flavours and rich aroma that are so characteristic of this popular drink. Naturally, navigating the large selection of manual coffee grinders available on the market is no easy task.
In that spirit, here are some useful pointers to help you make an informed and successful purchase. Get ready to become a true coffee connoisseur!
Particle size
For starters, an essential aspect to consider upon choosing a hand grinding device is its ability to produce fine and consistent coffee grounds. Aside from the quality of the beans themselves, particle size will have the greatest impact on the taste and flavour of your drink. As such, look for a manual grinder that offers the most optimal coffee grounds texture for every cup you brew.
Capacity
Next, it’s important to determine the capacity you will need for your new coffee grinder. Consider your typical coffee preparation — is it just for yourself and your roommate, or for a large number of people? This will dictate your final choice and prevent you from strenuous arm workouts. If you regularly drink espressos, considering some of these options will get you acquainted with compact machines that suit all budgets. In the end, regardless of your drinking habits, it’s always best to consult specialized guides and read online reviews to get a sense of what the market has to offer.
Appliance size
In a similar vein, modern manual coffee grinders come in a variety of shapes and sizes. So, before you start scouring the web for purchasing options, bear in mind the space that’s available in your kitchen. While these devices usually don’t take much space, it’s good to mind their size — whether it’s left on your countertop or stored away in a cupboard when unused, make sure that you select a fitting model.
Grind settings
If you’re wondering what justifies significant price differences between manual grinders, one answer is their integrated grind settings. Depending on which drink you’re looking to prepare, whether it’s an espresso, Turkish coffee, a latte, or else, you will need a different grinding mode to get the perfect consistency of coffee grounds, which will ultimately affect the flavour of your drink.
Materials
Another meaningful factor that can account for differences in price pertains to the materials and build quality of your hand grinder. As you conduct your research, you will notice that these devices come in a variety of materials, including different kinds of woods, hard plastic, ceramic, or stainless steel. If you plan to take your grinder on the go, you’d better opt for stainless steel or plastic as they are easy to clean. Otherwise, wood and ceramic are great options for household devices.
Durability
Likewise, the materials used are bound to influence the longevity of your machine, i.e. how long it will last with you in time. It’s also important to consider whether or not the grinder comes with a guarantee if some parts ever need to be replaced. In any case, choosing a precise and well-crafted appliance is bound to be a long-lasting purchase.
Ease of use
Of course, grinding beans won’t be the only part of your coffee making process. As such, to avoid common frustrations, look for a coffee grinder that’s relatively easy to use and doesn’t require endless scrubbing between each grind — depending on how much time you decide to allow yourself for preparing a cup.
Design
Last but not least, don’t forget to select a model that’s aesthetically pleasing to you. While function should definitely prevail over design, it doesn’t hurt to have a coffee grinder that matches your personal tastes and that blends well with the rest of your kitchen appliances. That said, it shouldn’t guide your choice in the first place.
All things considered, investing in a manual coffee grinder is a formidable guarantee to experience coffee drinking in an entirely new way. If you’ve grown tired and dissatisfied with the instant or pre-ground kind, one of these compact machines may very well get you acquainted with the rich and flavoursome aroma all coffee lovers long for at every sip. Ultimately, regardless of your preferences and budget, the market will certainly cater to your needs!
