Should I Buy A Coffee Grinder?

This is another blog post by my guest blogger, who has now dubbed himself the 'Coffee Guru'. As a trained Starbucks barista and coffee master he's the best person to give you the best tips and tricks for quality coffee at home.

So you've been trying a lot of whole bean coffee recently, and you're wondering whether to invest in a home grinder. Well, you've got to ask yourself a few questions. How often do I drink coffee and how fast do I go through a bag in a week? Do I want to invest in something that will become a new hobby? Well if your answer to the first question is you drink coffee daily and you go through a bag in about two weeks or less then your justified in buying a home grinder. 

So what do you look for when you're in the market for a coffee grinder? Well, I suggest you look for a burr grinder. A burr grinder uses to metal/plastic grinder plates to grind the beans evenly. It's well known for being consistent, and even, again it'll keep all the grounds the same even size. 

If possible, try and obtain a grinder that's adjustable so you can broaden your options on brewing methods. Burr grinders use these two plates to break up the coffee without heating it as this will cause the coffee to overheat and lose flavour. The beans have been crushed/torn and so the oils are released, so they are more easily extracted during the brewing method. 

So why use a home grinder? 

Well, once you grind the coffee, it begins the process of going stale, therefore grinding your coffee shortly before use will mean you will have the freshest brew possible. Straight from beans to the cup, what could be better than that? 

Keeping your coffee as fresh as possible by grinding shortly before use will help you to distinguish different flavour notes in different coffees. All this is keeping in mind that you will have to keep this piece of equipment well cleaned and maintained. Don't go mental and buy a super expensive grinder, look at reviews and think about the longevity of the item. Nothing compares to the aroma of freshly ground coffee filling your kitchen. 

Well, that's it, for now, guys, keep exploring.