We interviewed cafe founders and coffee roasters to learn which is best
If you want the freshest flavor and the best quality for your homemade brewing methods, be they pour-over, French press or espresso, you’ve probably decided you need your own coffee grinder. There are two main kinds of coffee grinders: burr grinders and blade grinders. But is one better than the other?
We’ve tested several models and brands of coffee grinders and consulted Heather Calatrello from ShedLight Coffee, Caroline Bell of Cafe Grumpy, and Tom Saxon of Batch Coffee on what style of coffee grinder is best. And the response was unanimous: For the best quality coffee, blade grinders are better than nothing but burr grinders are best. Why are burr grinders more popular? Let’s take a closer look.
What is a burr grinder?
Burr grinders are coffee grinders that use a pair of grooved metal components, or burrs, to cut and grind coffee beans. Due to their design, burr grinders allow you to maintain a uniform particle size for the resulting ground coffee, from coarse to very fine.
What is a blade grinder?
Blade grinders are coffee grinders that use a blunt metal blade to crush and pulverize coffee beans. This results in coffee of mixed particle sizes in every batch, including large bits and fine dust. Blade grinders can also be used as spice grinders.
Why are burr grinders superior?
Particle size is a key factor in making coffee. Larger particles can lead to weak, sour or acidic flavors, while powder-fine particles can taste excessively bitter. Larger particles do best when slowly brewed, such as in pour-over or French press coffee, while finely ground coffee is best for espresso. Inconsistently ground coffee, with large, medium, small and powdered particles all mixed together, leads to uneven flavors.
Blade grinders produce unevenly ground coffee. With a blade grinder, you can only control how long you grind your beans — briefer for coarse, longer for fine — and you’ll still have uneven results. The longer you grind, the more heat the friction and motor generate as well, which can affect the flavor of the coffee.
Burr grinders avoid these pitfalls. Their grooved burrs operate in such a way that all the coffee is cut down to the same general size, with more user control and less heat. This precision is why burr grinders are considered superior.
EXPERT TIP
“You’ll want to choose a burr grinder. Many people opt for a blade grinder because they are affordable and seemingly simple to use with their one-touch operation. However, a blade grinder lacks grind adjustments, creates significant heat while grinding and produces an inconsistent grind”
Heather Calatrello
ShedLight Coffee
Key differences
- Grinding surface: Burr grinders use toothed burrs, while blade grinders use a blunt blade.
- User control: Burr grinders allow you to specify the size of the particles you want for your ground coffee. Blade grinders can control grind size only by length of grinding time: shorter for coarser, longer for finer.
- Heat generated: Burr grinders work slower, steadier and with more powerful motors than blade grinders. This produces less heat. The high speed and friction of blade grinders generates heat that may affect the flavor of the coffee.
- Size: Electric burr grinders tend to be significantly larger than blade grinders and take up more space on your counter. Generally blade grinders are smaller and more portable and may fit in a drawer. Manual burr grinders can be smaller still, but you’ll need to power them by hand.
- Cost: Good burr grinders cost around $100 or more. Blade grinders generally cost under $25.
Key similarities
- Fresher coffee: Both burr and blade grinders produce freshly ground coffee, which is typically superior in flavor than preground packaged coffee or instant coffee.
EXPERT TIP
“If you are concerned about aesthetics and design, there are many options out there, but make sure to consider function especially if you are splurging on a higher-priced model.”
Caroline Bell
Founder of Cafe Grumpy
Types of burr grinders
There are two main types of burr grinders based on the shape of their burrs.
Conical burr grinder
Conical burr grinders feature a flat ring burr that rotates around and along a central cone-shaped burr. They have a reputation of being easier to use and maintain than other burr grinders and cost a little less.
Flat burr grinder
Flat burr grinders have two flat ring burrs that rotate against each other. They produce the highest quality grind with the most precision and uniformity of size, but they can be difficult to calibrate and often cost the most.
EXPERT TIP
There are no two ways about it: It has to be a burr coffee grinder. Blade grinders are essentially blenders, and you’ll end up with all sorts of coffee grind sizes that will both over- and under-extract, leading to unbalanced, poor-tasting coffee.”
Tom Saxon
Co-founder of Batch Coffee
Cost breakdown
Blade grinders can cost under $20, but the better models from reliable brands like KitchenAid and Hamilton Beach cost between $20 and $40. Burr grinders begin at around $50, but the better ones begin around or just below $100, with top-performing conical and flat burr grinders costing $150 or more. Many brands of coffee grinders can be found at major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and other big-box stores, with inexpensive blade grinders also available at drugstores and home appliance stores. High-end, boutique and premium machines may be available from Amazon but also from their brand websites or at independent coffee shops.
A closer look at burr grinders
The BestReviews Testing Lab has tested several burr grinders to evaluate their performance and superiority. The following models offer a good overview of what the testers found.
Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Offering superior performance, the Baratza Virtuoso+ did the best of all the grinders the testing team evaluated.
Product specifications: Type: Conical burr | Material: Steel and plastic | Grind Settings: 40 | Dimensions: 6.69″L x 6.69″W x 12.6″H
The Baratza Virtuoso+ is a high-end conical burr grinder that can be considered a workhorse machine designed for coffee enthusiasts. It was the best overall coffee grinder in our testing, praised for its durability, customizability and the consistency of its results. Although it lacks named grind settings, it’s capable of 40 distinct grinds from very coarse to fine espresso.
OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
The testing team found the OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder to be a good value.
Product specifications: Type: Conical burr | Material: Stainless steel and plastic | Grind Settings: 15 (38 with microsettings) | Dimensions: 6.8″L x 11.8″W x 14.8″H
A mid-priced burr grinder, the OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder did well for its price range in our testing. It would be an excellent buy for daily drinkers who don’t want to spend too much but who would appreciate the improvement in taste a burr grinder offers. Though it has fewer overall grind settings than the Baratza Virtuoso+, it costs $50 less.
Fellow Opus Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
The testing team appreciated the attractive, compact design of the Fellow Opus.
Product specifications: Type: Conical burr | Material: Stainless steel and plastic | Grind Settings: 41 | Dimensions: 5.1″L x 8.3″W x 10.6″H
A premium-looking machine, the Fellow Opus Conical Burr Grinder boasts elevated industrial design that would look right at home in a designer showcase kitchen. It rated highly in grind uniformity and overall ease of use during our testing; although we did have spillage issues filling its espresso portafilter. It’s smaller than either the Baratza or the OXO grinders, and its matte black plastic looks more elegant on your kitchen counter.
A closer look at blade grinders
Blade grinders are simple and inexpensive small appliances, but some offer more value than others, especially in size or convenience.
Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind Coffee Grinder
Easy to clean, the Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind Coffee Grinder features a dishwasher-safe, removable stainless steel bowl.
Product specifications: Type: Blade | Material: Stainless steel and plastic | Grind Settings: none | Dimensions: 3.74″L x 3.54″W x 7.13″H
The Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind Coffee Grinder is one of the blade grinder models we’ve recommended in the past. Although, like all blade grinders, it lacks any true grind settings other than duration, we liked how it features a dishwasher-safe removable bowl, making pouring ground coffee easier than grinders with nonremovable bowls. We also liked its built-in cord storage and good 4-ounce capacity.
KitchenAid Blade Coffee Grinder
The KitchenAid Blade Coffee Grinder is designed for easy cleaning and features a convenient push-down switch on the top versus on the side.
Product specifications: Type: Blade | Material: Stainless steel and plastic | Grind Settings: None | Dimensions: 7.1″L x 4.1″W x 3.7″H
Another blade grinder we recommend is the KitchenAid Blade Coffee Grinder. Like the Hamilton Beach, it features a removable, washable stainless steel bowl for easy pouring and cleaning, and its bowl also features measurement markings to help you make the right amount of grounds for four to 12 cups of coffee. It also has a switch that activates when you push down on the top rather than on the side, which can be more comfortable for some users.
Final thoughts on burr grinders vs. blade grinders
Any coffee grinder can produce better coffee than you might get preground or instant, but some coffee grinders are better than others. If you’ve never ground your own beans before and don’t see yourself getting too involved with homemade coffee, you might be satisfied with a blade grinder. But if you’re serious about coffee and want to experience the best cup you can brew, get a burr grinder. Your taste buds and coffee habit will thank you.
Sources
- Interview with Caroline Bell, Founder of Cafe Grumpy
- Interview with Tom Saxon, Co-Founder of Batch Coffee
- Interview with HeatherCalatrello, Coffee Roaster at ShedLight Coffee
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