Number of grinding levels
The number of grinding levels provided in the coffee grinder.
For different cases may require different degrees of grind, see “Adjusting the grind” for more on this. The same parameter determines how many fixed settings are provided in the coffee grinder. The more of them, the wider the capabilities of this device, the more accurately you can choose the option for a particular situation.
Note that this characteristic is given only for models with millstones (see "Grinding system") — it is not relevant for knife devices. In the most advanced models, the number of grinding degrees can be in the dozens.
Overheat protection
A security system that protects the coffee grinder from overheating and the associated unpleasant consequences (up to its complete breakdown). When the engine reaches a critical temperature, this system turns it off, preventing the mentioned consequences. This makes operation more reliable.
Timer
The presence of a
timer in the design of the coffee grinder — a system that automatically turns off the engine after a certain time. In coffee grinders with different designs of the grinding system (see “Grinding system”), the features of the timer also differ. In models with knives, it actually plays the role of a grinding degree regulator (for more details, see “Adjusting the grind”). Models with millstones have a separate grinding degree control, which is independent of the operating time. Therefore, in this case, the timer plays the role of a kind of dispenser — you can set the coffee grinder so that it does not process the entire volume of the loaded coffee, but only part of it. This is useful given that it is freshly ground coffee that is considered the most delicious, and it often makes sense to prepare coffee for 1-2 portions, rather than large volumes.
Dispenser
The presence of
a dispenser in the design of the coffee grinder. This device is designed to dispense ground coffee in portions. Most often, this portion is 7 g (the standard for one cup of espresso), however, there are models where the volume of the dispenser can be changed at will. Coffee grinders with a dispenser will be useful for lovers of exact recipes, as well as in cafes, restaurants, etc., where both strict accounting of coffee consumption is required, as well as compliance with each portion of the specified standards.
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.
