Last Updated on October 21, 2021 by John Moretti
When searching for the best possible cup of coffee, the coffee lover will inevitably find themselves experimenting with brewing espresso. The only problem is, espresso requires a much finer grind than all other types of coffee brewing methods, which requires a particular type of grinder to achieve. So, what is the best grinder for a fine grind?
The best coffee grinder to use to achieve a fine grind is a burr grinder with stepless adjustment. Hand grinders and electric grinders of this type will work, but if you use an electric grinder, it must have a motor with plenty of torque to grind the beans finely. Other grinder types will not work.
On the journey to achieve a quality fine coffee grind, there are many aspects to consider. The type of grinder that is used is imperative to the size of the grind and the quality of the grind that is possible. Let’s look a little deeper into which type of coffee grinder is best for a fine grind.
Will Any Coffee Grinder Achieve A Fine Grind?
Certain types of coffee drinks, such as espresso or turkish coffee, require incredibly finely ground coffee beans. Espresso is the biggest culprit of this requirement, as, without the perfect grind, the espresso is likely to be ruined even before it is brewed.
The size of the coffee grind directly determines how much water is required to brew the coffee, how well the coffee is extracted, and how long it takes the coffee to brew. All of these factors determine the overall flavor and drinking experience of the coffee and the brewing method that is required for the coffee grinds.
Brewing methods such as espresso require very finely ground coffee because the coffee is brewed for a short amount of time and with such a small amount of liquid.
To achieve this type of fine grind, not just any coffee grinder will do. Not all coffee grinders are capable of grinding coffee beans to a fine or very fine consistency.
The vast majority of coffee grinders, whether manual or electric, are only able to achieve relatively coarse grinds and nothing close to the grind size required for espresso.
This means that finding the best grinder for your coffee drinking preferences is absolutely critical to the quality of your coffee, and not all coffee grinders are good for all types of grind.
Which Type Of Grinder Is Best For A Fine Grind?
There are several types of grinders available on the market right now, and not all of them are able to achieve a fine grind, and fewer can achieve a very fine grind.
However, some grinders are specifically designed for fine grinds, and others have adjustable features that make achieving a fine grind perfectly possible.
The best type of grinder for achieving a fine grind coffee is a grinder that is equipped with a metal burr to grind the beans and preferably stepless adjustment.
There are two main varieties of grinders: blade grinders and burr grinders. But grinders are, by nature, able to achieve significantly finer grinds than blade grinders.
Within the category of bur grinders, there are burr grinders that have step adjustments which are set to fixed increments, allowing the user to grind the coffee beans sot set increments of coarseness, and there is a stepless burr grinder that has a sliding scale of coarseness that they are able to achieve with almost no limitations.
There are also burr grinds with ceramic burrs and metal burrs. Metal burr is harder and more precise, which allows for a finer grind. This, combined with stepless adjustment, will make for very fine grinding capabilities.
So long as the grinder that you use is equipped with these features, it will be able to achieve a fine coffee grind.
Are Manual Or Electric Grinders Better?
In the category of metal burr grinders with stepless adjustments, there are both electric and manual versions.
The truth is, both hand grinders and electric grinders will work just as well to achieve a fine or very fine coffee grind, so long as they are equipped with the features that we have listed above.
However, there are some critical considerations to keep in mind that may help you decide whether an electric or a hand grinder is better suited for you.
A hand grinder, even one that is well equipped to achieve a fine grind, is a lot more work than an electric grinder, and achieving a consistent grind size every time can be a challenge. This is because the coffee beans are ground manually. The more you grind, the finer the grind will be. It is very difficult to grind beans the same way every time with a hand grinder.
An electric grinder, however, is able to achieve the same grind every time, and it is far easier to use because it requires exactly no more input than pressing a button.
With that being said, there are some considerations with electric grinders as well. An electric grinder is only as good as its motor. Inexpensive electric grinders, even those models that are equipped with metal burs and stepless adjustments, will not be able to achieve a very fine grind if they do not have a motor with sufficient torque to grind the beans finely.
Or this reason, it is often better to purchase a hand grinder, as the same amount of money spent will afford you a better-quality hand grinder than an electric grinder.
Summary
Grinding coffee beans is one of life’s great joys, and it is a pleasure for all coffee enthusiasts.
The size of the coffee grind that you use strongly determines the coffee that you drink. Drinks like espresso require ground coffee beans very finely to work well and taste good.
This requires a coffee bean grinder that can grind very finely.
For the best results, search for a bean grinder that has a grinding burr rather than blades. The burr should be metal rather than ceramic, and if possible, the grinder should have stepless adjustment to allow for the best possible control over the grind size.
These factors are a recipe for a good coffee grinder that will be more than capable of grinding beans very finely for espresso and espresso-based drinks.
