20 Myths About Best Burr Grinder: Busted > 자유게시판

How to Choose the Best Burr Coffee Grinder

A grinder is among the most essential tools in a coffee maker's arsenal. Which one should you purchase?

Burr grinders crush beans between two revolving, serrated surfaces rather than cutting them with blades. They're generally considered to be superior to blade grinders. But what features should you look for in a burr grinder?

1. Conical Burrs

A conical burr mill is equipped with an angled set of teeth and an elongated burr ring that is inserted inside the other. This shape permits more efficient grinding, because the burrs rotate around an axis. The angled teeth are more efficient at cutting the beans evenly, and they produce less heat. This is good because excessive heat can create bitter tastes in your coffee. Conical burrs are also more durable than flat burrs. Flat burrs are susceptible to warping and becoming dull quickly, leading to unevenly ground coffee that is not evenly ground. They are more fragile, which means that small stones and other debris can cause damage over time. Flat burrs also generate more noise, and require more frequent maintenance and cleaning.

A lot of burr grinders available on the market claim to be "burr grinders," but they have flat burrs or have no burrs at all. These "false burr grinders" feature large flat teeth and are often coupled with weak motors that produce irregular ground. They aren't genuine burr grinders, and, despite the opinions of some enthusiasts, don't produce the same quality of grind as real burr grinders.

Some experts aren't convinced however, others believe that the shape and size of the burrs in a grinder for coffee can affect the final flavor. These theories are mostly anecdotal but they have a powerful hold on the minds and hearts of coffee enthusiasts. For instance, some believe that conical burrs help bring out the unique flavors of exotic beans, while flat burrs can mellow and enhance dark roasts.

This could be the case. However, it's something you should think about when you are deciding whether your grinder will have significant impact on the quality of your espresso. The only way to be sure that for certain is to test a grinder out with the beans you plan on using it with. The overall design of the grinder and its operating features will have a greater influence on the final cup than the type or burrs. It's therefore important to consider other factors when evaluating the grinder, including its reputation and reviews from customers.

2. Convenience

The Baratza Encore is a burr grinder that a lot of coffee lovers swear by. Several reviewers praise it as an "time-tested choice" that is a great value for money and is suited for drip, pour-over, French press, and cold coffee.

According to the company, the grinder utilizes rotating metal burrs rather than blades to grind beans. This produces more uniformly-sized grounds than a grinder, or other burr grinder. Additionally the burrs create less heat while grinding, which preserves more of the bean's aroma and flavor.

Blade grinders however are prone to producing excessive heat and unevenly-sized grinds which can affect the taste of your cup. Burr grinders are also known to be quieter than blade grinders, but this can vary depending on the model and brand.

Some burr grinders employ flat burrs instead, rather than conical ones. These are two discs that have cutting edges facing each other. These grinders are not recommended for espresso because they are difficult to calibrate. They're also less expensive and more difficult than top-end flat-burr grinders such as the Fellow Ode Gen 2 and the Baratza Virtuoso+.

The grinders we've tested allow users to set the amount of time it will be grinding for a particular period of time, which is useful when you're making espresso. Some, like our top choice the Baratza Sette270 a built-in smart timer that delivers the precision of a split second. This feature is not necessary for the majority of brewing methods and most burr grinders under $200 use a fancy version of a windup clock.

The most affordable models, like the Porlex II or the Capresso infinity, use manual burrs. This means that you have to turn them manually yourself to grind your coffee. This is more laborious, but is a great choice when you're looking for a simple compact and affordable alternative without electricity.

The Breville Smart Grinder Pro is an alternative that is affordable and features a burr grinder. It's louder than some of the other models we've tried, but still tolerable for those who don't mind a little noise. In general, the more expensive a grinder is more quiet it's likely to be due to improved materials and advanced soundproofing technologies.

3. Simple to Use

A burr grinder is a tool that every expert recommends for those who are just beginning to learn about home coffee brewing. These grinders provide a smaller, more consistent grind than what you can get from a regular blade grinder. They also help you produce beverages that are more balanced in body, flavor, and acidity. They tend to be more reliable. As you'd expect, a good burr mill could cost up to $200 and is difficult to use.

We asked experts for their suggestions on the most efficient electric burr grinders you can use. Many people, even those with a budget would recommend the OXO Conical Burr Grinder. It has several settings that can accommodate different methods of brewing including pour-over to French press to drip coffee, and it worked well in our tests.

It's quieter than other electric grinders that we tested and doesn't produce the same amount of heat. This is important since excessive heat can destroy the delicate aromas of your beans.

The OXO grinder's biggest disadvantage is that it's only effective at grinding on the coarse end of the scale, which can be a problem with espresso. If you brew espresso, a more sophisticated burr grinder, such as the Baratza Encore might be a better option.

Manual burr grinders that are powered by cranking are simpler to use and ideal for those who drink just one or two cups of coffee grinders types a day. These grinders are perfect for those who travel, or just need to make one cup of pour-over coffee.

Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Director of Test Kitchen, is a fan of the Fellow Ode Gen 2 Burr Grinder. It comes with 41 settings that can be easily adjusted and will make a fantastic brew using any method--except for espresso (the flat-steel burrs don't grind well enough). It's a breeze to operate for those who don't mind some messes and flyaway chaff, and it's relatively quiet.

4. Cost

A quality burr grinder will cost a few hundred dollars, but it's worth the cost. The grinding mechanism is simple enough that even a beginner can figure out how to get the most out of it, and you'll save money in the long run by ditching the pre-ground coffee and bad-for-the-environment coffee pods.

Conical burr grinders are the standard in electric home units, and they're a great choice for most people just starting out with this whole grinding-your-own-beans-at-home thing. They can produce a bit of fines (the tiny pieces of coffee ground that end up smaller than the official grind size you choose), but this won't be noticeable to most average drinkers, and it's a small cost to pay for delicious consistent coffee grounds.

Flat burrs, which are basically two discs that have cutting teeth facing one another They are not as common in home units but are preferred by hardcore industrial coffee grinder enthusiasts due to their ability to provide an even grind size that is perfect for espresso and French press. The downside is that they are expensive to purchase, and you may require a new burr for each brew type or roast level.

According to our experts, the Baratza is the best price and capabilities for a burr mill. It's priced at less than $200, which is a lot less than many competing models that don't have the same level of capabilities. It has an incredibly flat 64-mm burr set that is ideal for any brewing method and is easy to upgrade to other sets similar to those from SSP.

The OXO is a similar model that is affordable with a good performance record in our tests. The burrs aren't as precise as those in more expensive models, but it comes with several settings that work well for drip and French press and its user interface is easy to use. The OXO is an excellent starter model for the majority of people. True coffee enthusiasts might prefer a more advanced model, but the OXO will work well for those who are.

For those who prefer to crank beans by hand We also tried a handful of manual burr grinders, which are great for those on the move and who are able to make one or two cups at one time. These models, which utilize the same mechanism for grinding as electric burr grinders operate with an actual crank, not a motor and are usually much quieter than electric units.