If you’ve ever gone to purchase a home grinder, and been confused by some of the descriptions, you are not alone. Conical or flat burrs, motor size, microns, and more are all relatively new home grinder descriptors which most are not used to deciphering. Grinder specs nowadays will most likely include —the type of burrs, range of grind settings, size of the motor, recommended brewing methods, and any unique features or aesthetics.
Below, we break down common grinder lingo to help you understand them and how they might impact your purchasing decision.
Burrs - it will usually tell the burr shape (conical or flat), and material (steel or ceramic)
- Conical burrs—two burrs that fit together like a cone, the inner adjusts to increase or decrease the distance between them—providing a wide range of grind sizes.
- Flat burrs - two flat rings aligned with teeth that allow for quick, consistent grinding.
- Steel - the most common type, they are tough and good at dissipating heat—perfect if you’re grinding a lot.
- Ceramic- more brittle than steel, so can be susceptible to damage from foreign objects, like stones but they do stay sharper longer.
Grind Settings - expressed as a number usually between 10 and 60, higher numbers give you a wider range of grind sizes and control, which would be important for a wide range of brewing methods or espresso.
Motor - defined as the number of RPM (revolutions per minute), usually between 300-1500. The higher the number, the faster (and quieter) the motor. Even though lower numbers mean slower grinding, it can sometimes translate to more accuracy.
Microns- since descriptions of grind size can often be vague, the coffee industry began using microns as a measurement for grind size. A micron is equal to one-thousandth of a millimeter. So, instead of saying your grind should resemble sand, or table salt, a grind recipe can use a recommended micron size. That said, some grinders list their range of microns. In general, 200-600 microns is fine (ie: espresso), 500-1000 is medium (ie: auto or manual drip), and 1100-1600 is coarse (ie: french press, cold brew).
Single Dose vs Bean Hopper - bean hoppers can be pre-loaded with beans while single dosers mean you load in beans for each grind. Although the hopper can be convenient, we recommend the single dose method in order to keep your beans fresh in between grinding.
Anti-Static Technology - grinding coffee can be messy, this feature means the grinder uses one (or more) of a variety of methods to reduce the amount of static electricity during grinding - making it much neater.
A good home burr grinder is an investment, meant to last many years. Choosing the one that is right for your home coffee brewing system will greatly enhance your daily coffee drinking. In addition, we also recommend a constant supply of freshly roasted coffee. We offer three coffee subscriptions to help with that —Perpetual Joy, our rotating single origin, Blends, available in 12oz or 2lb, and Decaf. For more details, go to our subscription page.