Start Buying Whole Bean with These Manual Coffee Grinders

You may be wondering what sort of benefits you’ll get from a manual coffee grinder over pre-grinding your beans at the grocery store or using a home blender. Much of the difference has to do in just how these devices grind the beans.

Instead of using blades, which slice and heat up beans at the grocery store, the majority of manual coffee grinders (and all of the picks on our list) use burrs. These conical burrs use jagged edges that crush and pulverize the coffee beans, which results in a more consistent and better-flavored result. While burr grinders are slower than their bladed alternatives, slow and steady certainly wins the race in flavor.

One of the big differentiating factors between the grinders on our list is how the grind setting is changed. There are two options: step grinders or stepless grinders. Step (or stepped) grinders are designed with predetermined grind settings to help you find the number for your perfect grind. These grinders can be helpful for those who may want to set a number or a range or numbers and make quick adjustments when necessary. 

Some people, though, prefer the more precise and stepless grinders that are also available. Stepless grinders don’t offer settings but rather feature a range that can be adjusted by turning a knob or screw. This presents virtually an infinite number of grind settings, but that benefit can be a real problem for casual users. Finding the perfect grind, or switching from a fine to a coarse grind, can be a bit of a guessing game, so you’ll need to feel out your grinder’s settings through trial and error. Because of this, many still prefer the limitation (but simplicity) of step grinders.

For quick reference, consider the following pros and cons when it comes to these two different types of grinders:

The final point to consider when it comes to your manual coffee grinder includes the burr type, durability, portability, and how to maintain your investment for the years to come. Coffee grinder burrs have a difficult task because they must remain sharp enough to crush and grind coffee beans into a powder while also preventing overheating and burning the beans as they do so. To get around this problem, most manual coffee grinders (and every manual coffee grinder on our list) uses a ceramic burr. These burrs retain their shape but also keep cool during the grinding process. 

Portability is also important for many who might travel with their manual coffee grinders. Picks like the SUNPIN or JavaPresse grinders remain highly portable and great for such use. Maintenance is also a major concern. Burrs can sometimes break and need replacement, or beans can be jammed in the burr and need to be manually removed. We’ve noted above where our grinders succeed and fall short when it comes to maintenance.

• Is there a certain speed/direction I should use for my hand crank coffee grinder?

• Many hand crank coffee grinders rely on burrs, which need to be rotated in the correct direction in order to grind the coffee. This is due to the design of the burr, which forces beans into a line of ridges and edges that tear them apart. Rotating in the wrong direction will not grind the bean. You’ll need to uncover which direction you need to rotate your coffee grinder to make sure you do not damage the internal mechanism.

  As for speed, many recommend that you rotate slowly and consistently. One of the benefits of a manual grinder is a cool grind that preserves the flavor of the bean, so moving too quickly can negate the benefits of grinding manually. It’s often recommended that you grind at 60 rpm or below, so try to rotate the handle fully about once per second for the best flavor.

• What sort of capacity do I need for a strong cup of coffee? How about espresso?

• Many people have different preferences and taste when it comes to making a cup of coffee. What some consider strong may be weak for others. The general recommendation is that you use two grams of beans for every ounce of water for a good, strong cup of coffee. Espresso is traditionally about seven to nine grams for a single shot. For reference, one coffee bean is somewhere between one tenth and one-fifth of a gram, and one ounce is about twenty-eight grams.

• Why should I buy a manual coffee grinder over an automatic or electric option?

• Manual grinders may be slower than their electric and automatic counterparts, but a large part of what makes manual grinders so sought after is the control over the grind. Manual grinders can make selections between fine and coarse grinds to a much higher accuracy automatic grinders. Likewise, the slowing grinding style doesn’t heat up the beans. With automatic and electric options, fast-moving blades can generate heat via friction, which can burn the beans and ruin the flavor.

  Manual grinders also make just enough beans for a single cup, which can be very convenient in terms of flavor. Pre-grinded beans lose their flavor quickly, so using fresh grinds result in a much more pleasant and complex flavor.