If you enjoy drinking coffee every morning, the most cost-effective thing is to make it at home. While going out for a Starbucks run is fun, it does no favors for the wallet—especially daily. If you’re new to making coffee at home, buying a coffee grinder is the best option as it allows you to get a perfect brew. While you can always purchase your coffee pre-ground, grinding your own whole beans will ensure the freshest and tastiest cup.
While there are many different types of coffee grinders on the market, the most popular and versatile ones are electric coffee grinders. Most electric coffee grinders allow you to custom the grind size to ensure your beans will work with a variety of coffee makers—from course for the french press, to ultra fine for espresso machines.
If you’re on the market to purchase an electric coffee grinder, be sure to look out for the below things to guarantee the best quality cup of coffee morning:
Avoid Manual Coffee Grinders
While a manual coffee grinder is ideal for camping, a manual coffee grinder every morning will likely become an annoyance. With an electric coffee grinder, the process will be quick and you can grind beans in big batches and you will get the best espresso cups. Grinding your coffee a week in advance will still ensure it’s still fresh, without causing you to have to wake up the entire household with the noise. Just don’t grind all of your beans at once, unless you know it’ll be consumed within 2-weeks. While the coffee will still be good, it won’t be as fresh as it could be.
Look at the Hopper Size
When you are choosing the top electric coffee grinders, you need to look at the hopper size. What is a hopper you ask? When you see an electric grinder, you’ll likely see an area that stores your whole beans at the top. That is the hopper. If you plan on grinding your coffee in large quantities, you may want to opt for a larger hopper size. If you are the only coffee drinker in the house, a small hopper may be all you need. The hopper size of your electric grinder is just personal preference.
Make Sure There Are a Variety of Settings
Each brewing method requires a different grind size. As mentioned above, the french press method usually requires a course grind. Using a moka pot will require you to grind you coffee beans into a finer grind. If you use a traditional coffee machine, then you’ll likely need a medium grind.
If you purchase an electric coffee grinder that allows you to pick the size of the grind, you’ll always be prepared as switching brew methods is common. To see the variety of settings you have, it’s best to look at a coffee machine user manual.
Make Sure the Blades are High Quality
While you may be tempted to go with the cheapest electric coffee grinder that you can find, that isn’t the best decision. This is an appliance that is worth the splurge. If you purchase a grinder with high quality blades, you’re guaranteed to have the appliance for years to come. If you opt for a lower quality model, you’ll likely need to replace your grinder yearly due to both rust and dullness.
If you’re looking to invest in an electric coffee grinder in the near future, be sure to look at hooper size, setting capabilities, and blade quality. If you do, you’re guaranteed a perfect cup of coffee each morning.
What is your favorite at-home brew method? Let us know in the comments below!
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