All true coffee lovers need to own and use from time to time a hand coffee grinder. These coffee mills are quite possibly the best looking choices available and add a certain elegance to any kitchen that has one proudly displayed.
All hand coffee grinders have a burr mechanism which is essential to making the perfect cup of coffee. The burr mechanism is what you will use to grind coffee beans into the perfect size and retain full flavor. See, blade coffee grinders actually heat up the beans as they grind. This can cause the coffee grinds to burn and that will result in bitter taste and loss of freshness.
Burr grinders, on the other hand, don’t use a sharp edge. They have two rough surfaces that revolve around. The beans pass through the surfaces and are crushed into grinds. There are electronic burr grinders as well, but they will not have the attractive design of a hand coffee grinder burr. On top of that, there is something about a cup of coffee that has been made from hand ground beans.
Many Uses of a Hand Coffee Grinder
People are often afraid to purchase a hand coffee grinder for fear that they won’t use it enough. The thought is that it will take too long to grind the beans. It really isn’t that bad. You can have six to eight cups worth of beans ground in less than two minutes. If you want a really find grind, such as used for Turkish coffee or espresso, it might take you a minute longer to accomplish. This really isn’t a lot if you truly love the taste of fresh coffee!
If you are looking for your first hand operated coffee bean grinder, then you should look into the basic box mill. Simple in appearance, it is a box with a handle that you turn. These will typically hold six cups worth of beans. You can find variations on this style such as the open mill and the knee mill. The best thing to do is find a grinder that suits your personality and design style.
A popular option is the Turkish coffee mill. This stylish grinder is cylinder shaped and often nicely decorated. It is also a great hand grinder if you want to make espresso or Turkish coffee, both of which require a very fine grind. The difference between the drinks is that Turkish coffee requires the grind to not be filtered so that it ends up in the actual coffee. If you have not enjoyed this delicacy yet, let me assure you that it tastes incredible!
I recommend that all coffee lovers invest in a hand coffee grinder. I know that you probably won’t use it daily, and making hand ground coffee first thing in the morning from scratch is a bit of a stretch if you are anything like me in the morning. There are many burr coffee grinders available for this purpose. But for design purposes and for simply enjoying a delicious cup of fresh ground coffee, a hand coffee grinder is the only way to go.
Comments on this entry are closed.