How to Use Electric Coffee Grinders: Techniques for Adjusting Grind Amount and Coarseness

Coffee: From Specialized Shops to Home Brewing

Coffee has become increasingly democratized in modern times. Previously, enjoying freshly ground coffee required a dedicated visit to a coffee shop. Now, with the emergence of numerous home coffee brewing devices, making coffee at home has become incredibly simple. A basic, affordable pour-over setup, a small electric grinder, and a bag of freshly roasted coffee beans are all you need to enjoy flavorful coffee without leaving your home.

FrontStreet Coffee's Guide to Electric Grinders

FrontStreet Coffee has already shared extensively about how to brew pour-over coffee and how to select brewing parameters. Today, FrontStreet Coffee approaches from another perspective to discuss how to properly use and maintain your electric grinder.

Many people believe that using an electric grinder is straightforward - just plug it in, find the power switch, the bean inlet, and the powder outlet, and you're good to go! While basic grinding operations can be mastered after some experimentation with the machine, some poor (or incorrect) usage habits can affect coffee flavor and potentially impact the grinder's performance. FrontStreet Coffee would like to share several tips about using electric grinders.

"Purge the Grinder" Before Grinding Coffee Beans

Several friends have been puzzled by a step in FrontStreet Coffee's brewing process - that FrontStreet Coffee pre-grinds 3-4 coffee beans of the same variety before officially grinding the beans needed for brewing.

This step is actually "purging the grinder." Because the structure of electric grinders is somewhat complex, it's difficult to clean the inside of the burrs. After each grinding session, small amounts of coffee residue adhere to the inside of the burrs (grinding chamber). If left unattended, these residual coffee grounds might mix with subsequent coffee grounds during the next grinding session, causing "flavor contamination."

A notable example is when dark roast coffee beans are ground first, followed by light roast coffee beans. The brewed light roast coffee from the second batch will likely have a bitter taste.

Therefore, before each official grinding session, pre-grind 3-4 coffee beans of the same variety to clear the previous batch's residue from the burrs, preventing it from falling into the coffee grounds you need for brewing.

Start the Grinder First, Then Add Beans

Many people overlook this detail, thinking that swapping the order doesn't make much difference. However, adding beans before starting the grinder can easily damage the burrs.

When starting the grinder, it takes approximately 0.5-1 seconds for the burrs to reach stable speed from a stationary state. If coffee beans are added first, they will get caught between the burrs. If you then start the grinder, you might be lucky and nothing will happen (though the burrs will experience more wear), or you might be unlucky and encounter hard beans that could cause the grinder to jam completely. This problem is especially common in small home electric grinders (insufficient power, low speed). Starting the grinder first and waiting for stable rotation before adding beans significantly reduces the probability of malfunction.

Daily Quick Cleaning, Regular Deep Cleaning

Cleaning your grinder is key to maintaining its lifespan. Unlike manual grinders, electric grinders cannot be easily disassembled for cleaning. Therefore, after daily use, you can use a blower at the bean inlet and powder outlet to blow away some residue remaining in the grinding chamber. However, pay attention to safety - ensure the grinder is not running before performing this operation.

This method only works for residue with low stickiness. Over time, many "stubborn particles" will still accumulate on the burrs. At this point, you need to disassemble the grinder, remove the burrs for cleaning. The burrs can be washed with clean water, but remember to dry them thoroughly before reassembling.

For friends who lack confidence in their DIY skills, you can also purchase specialized grinder cleaning tablets. The specific operation involves putting the cleaning tablets into the bean hopper for grinding. As the tablets are ground into powder, they carry out the coffee residue remaining in the burrs. This cleaning method doesn't need to be too frequent - for home use at about 2-3 cups per day, cleaning once every 2-3 months should suffice.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473