Grinding system
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Knives. Grinding system based on the use of a rotary knife (s) — blades rotating at high speed. The main advantages of such a system are low cost combined with good efficiency. At the same time, its capabilities are quite limited. So, the degree of grinding in knife coffee grinders depends on the operating time and in most models it is regulated exclusively manually, turning on for the right time (which requires a certain skill and getting used to the features of the device). And even if a separate adjustment of the degree of grinding (see below) is provided in the design, the product is less homogeneous than when processed with millstones. In addition, knife grinders require caution when working due to the presence of the knives (however, most modern devices have appropriate security systems). Nevertheless, in terms of the combination of price and features, such devices are considered optimal for domestic use.
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Millstone. In such systems, grinding is carried out by grinding coffee beans between two rotating disks (metal or
ceramic) — millstones. This allows you to adjust the degree of grinding with great precision and provides greater homogeneous than in knife models. In addition, grinders with millstones are safer and have a larger capacity (see below) on average. On the other hand, such devices are significantly more expensive.
Bean compartment capacity
The maximum number of coffee beans that the grinder can hold and process at one time, without "refilling". Note that we are talking about the maximum capacity — a smaller amount of coffee can be loaded into the grinder.
The standard portion of coffee per cup is 5-7 g, and the capacity of a pack of coffee is 100 g. Accordingly, it is worth choosing a model according to capacity, taking into account how much coffee you need to grind at a time. For domestic use, a capacity of 100-200 g is considered quite sufficient, but in professional models designed for coffee shops, bars, etc., this value can reach 1.5 kg or even more. There are coffee grinders that allow you to grind only part of the coffee loaded into them.
Power
The maximum power consumed by the device during operation. In coffee grinders, productivity is primarily associated with this parameter: the higher the power, the faster the grinder handles with the task (ceteris paribus). The suitability of the coffee grinder for working with solid products also depends on the power — more powerful models are better suited for these purposes.
Buying powerful models for everyday use in life is hardly justified: they are expensive, and the time savings are small. But in the professional sphere (for example, in a cafe), where the speed of preparation is crucial, high-power coffee grinders are very useful.
Adjusting the grind
The ability
to adjust the degree of grinding of processed coffee beans (that is, to set how large beans of the resulting coffee are obtained). A number of characteristics of coffee depend on the degree of grinding — in particular, the brewing time (the finer the grinding, the faster the brewing), taste characteristics (the presence or absence of grounds). In addition, different preparation methods and types of coffee machines require correspondingly different grinds.
In models with a knife (see "Grinding system"), the degree of grinding is adjusted by automatic shutdown after a set time — the longer the device operates, the finer the grinding. With a certain skill, you can also adjust the degree of grinding manually, independently monitoring the time.
In models with millstones, the degree of grinding is adjusted by changing the distance between the millstones, which ensures the best quality and independence of the operating time from the selected settings.
Compartment for ground coffee
The presence
of a separate compartment for ground coffee in the design of the device.
In this case, it is precisely the additional compartment into which the finished ground coffee enters. In other words, coffee grinders with this feature have two compartments: one for beans, the second for the finished product.
The convenience of this function is obvious: the finished coffee comes in its own container, it is separated from the unground product, and the user does not need to look for a separate storage container — he can store the ground coffee directly in the coffee grinder. Many models are even equipped with dispensers (see the relevant paragraph) that allow you to measure out small portions of coffee — this is convenient, for example, when filling the holder of an espresso coffee maker directly from the coffee grinder.
The volume of the compartment for ground coffee
The capacity of the ground coffee compartment provided in the coffee grinder.
About such a compartment, see above. On the one hand, capacity affects the amount of coffee that can be ground in one go before filling the compartment, on the other hand, on the dimensions of the compartment and, accordingly, the entire device. With this in mind, in most models this figure is from 100 to 200 g — this is the optimal value in terms by the ratio of capacity and size. At the same time, for domestic use, you can choose a model with a smaller capacity; and coffee grinders with capacious tanks are convenient, for example, for specialty stores where coffee beans can be ground in the presence of a buyer.
