How To Use The Best Coffee Grinder Settings

Everyone talks about beans, roasting, brewing, etc., but no one talks about the coffee grinder.  Yet using a good coffee grinder and using the best coffee grinder settings is perhaps one of the most important steps in making a truly great cup of gourmet coffee.

Good Grinder

First of all, you want a burr grinder.  If you can see the blades, then it’s not a burr.  A burr grinder uses a conical funnel to crush the roasted beans.  What this gives you is a more consistent grind than what you’ll get with a couple of whirling blades.  Good burr coffee grinders run $40-100.  I paid $50 on Amazon for mine 3 years ago and it’s still going strong.

Grind right before brewing

Look, if you’re using cheap crappy beans, then it doesn’t matter when you grind your coffee.  But if you’re spending the time and money to get good coffee, then the next best thing you can do in making great gourmet coffee is to grind the fresh roasted coffee right before you use.  Trust me, as a master Spokane Coffee Roaster, I’ll tell you, that hands down, you can taste the difference between fresh ground coffee and pre-ground coffee.

What’s the best coffee grinder settings?

• Fine:  AeroPress, Espresso
• Medium: Gold filter drip, Paper filter drip
• Course:  Cold Brew, French Press, Percolator (God Forbid!), Cowboy Coffee