Manual Coffee Grinders

Manual's the thing

Manual coffee grinders are great way to grind your own coffee at home. Today you can purchase manual coffee grinders that are just as functional as electric ones. In fact, most manual coffee grinders operate on the same principle as the top-of-the-line electric coffee makers: the burr grinding mechanism.

Although manual coffee grinders are clearly much slower to operate than their electric counterparts, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Slower grinding actually prevents the production of heat and friction that can ultimately be harmful to the quality of your coffee when it is brewed.

Advantages

The biggest advantage of manual coffee grinders is that they use the burr method rather than the blade method. Electric coffee grinders that use blades to grind the coffee beans often produce uneven ground beans. This can lead to a lower quality brew. Burred plates produce a much more even grind. In addition, manual coffee grinders tend to tie their burrs together with better stability than the even the electric burr grinders. Manual coffee grinders also tend to use metal instead of plastic. This ultimately leads to less clean up and clogging of the device.

Disadvantages

The largest disadvantage of manual coffee grinders, obviously, is the work involved. In the fast paced world we live, we want things instantly and without having to put forth much effort, especially in the morning when you are rushing around trying to get ready to leave for work. However, manual coffee grinders consistently produce a better brew of coffee than both the blade operated and even lower end electric burr grinders. So if quality is your ultimate concern, a manual coffee grinder might be the answer for you.

Caring for your Grinder

Your manual coffee grinder is going to get a lot of use over the years, so it's important to take care of it so that you can ensure quality operation down the road. Here are a few tips for caring for your manual coffee grinder:

If your manual coffee grinder has a wood finish, like most, then you will want to clean it periodically with Murphy's oil soap or another brand of wood cleaner.

Be aware that most driver shafts in manual coffee grinders have brass or nylon bearings that do not require any form of lubrication.

In order to keep your grinder clean, every couple of months grind about a third of a cup of rice in your grinder to use as an abrasive to remove particles.

The burrs do not require sharpening or cleaning unless the oils or sediment become so thick that it is not operating properly. If this happens, clean with a toothbrush but do not use liquids.

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