You see a lot of articles and promotions these days on this or that type of coffee machine, but not much about the grinder - that essential pre-requisite to getting an exquisite espresso shot.
Why is this? Probably because they're seen as 'industrial', and certainly they're not at the exciting end of the coffee-making process, which is watching that beautiful shot of espresso coffee come out the spout! However, many real espresso coffee experts believe that using a good grinder is the essential first step in making a great shot of coffee! Much has been researched and written about the espresso machine; its history is well documented, with its progression coming to rest with the range of beautifully designed and desirable machines we have available today.
And there are plenty of pundits who talk about which beans to buy and from where, which coffee machine is best, and even which tamper to buy and how to master its use.
All are integral elements of the journey of discovery that goes into producing a great espresso coffee but if you're really serious about espresso coffee, you just cannot avoid the fact that a good quality grinder is one of the most important pieces of equipment in the entire process.
The fact is, your beautiful espresso machine is nothing without the hard-working services of a grinder - one that is capable of grinding those magic beans finely enough for the espresso machine to extract the sweet flavours of the coffee.
So if it's that important, what features should you look for? How much will you use it and where will it sit - one thing is for sure, you probably don't want a massive commercial grinder sitting on your kitchen bench! How much are you prepared to spend? There are many variables and decisions that need to be made based on your individual needs.
The good news is that there is certainly a wide range of grinders suitable for the domestic market - some are compact and specifically designed for home use, while others are smaller versions of their bigger commercial brethren.
Key factors you need to consider are: Temperature stability - grinding coffee beans in itself, generates heat.
It is important that the grinder blades don't overheat [as a result of the mechanical friction of the blades, the conductive heating of housing materials or the working of the motor], as this can further expose the coffee to heat.
Remember that roasted coffee is a delicate, perishable product and overheating may affect the flavour, along with potentially swelling the bean, affecting the fineness of the grind for a given setting [and therefore affecting the extraction].
Some grinders have dosing chambers, and some don't - one of the key things about good coffee, is that your beans should be fresh, and equally importantly, that they are freshly ground! A dosing chamber receives the grinds directly from the grinding mechanism, to be released into the filter basket in measured doses as required.
For some people, having a dosing chamber is thought to be a temptation to leave ground coffee in the chamber to become stale, leading to an inferior coffee the next time.
The argument against dosing chambers therefore, is that having to hold the portafilter right up to the grind chute of a chamberless grinder - as the coffee is coming out - forces you to grind on demand.
That is, you can only grind enough to fill the filter basket for the coffee you are about to make, which of course, means the coffee must be freshly ground! Burr grinders vs blade grinders - one of the keys to espresso coffee is being able to grind finely enough to create resistance to the water being pushed through the coffee to extract the oils and hence the flavours.
Blade [or spice] grinders, having a chopping mechanism, cannot grind the coffee beans finely enough to do this.
Secondly, the chopping method does not produce a good consistency of grind, and having some particles much coarser than others leads to an inferior espresso result.
Whatever you are looking for, we hope our week-by-week review can shed some light on what you might be looking for to suit your individual espresso needs.
Note: while the grinders mentioned in our full review are models for the Australian market, you will find most of them readily available in most other markets, including the US and most European countries.
Why is this? Probably because they're seen as 'industrial', and certainly they're not at the exciting end of the coffee-making process, which is watching that beautiful shot of espresso coffee come out the spout! However, many real espresso coffee experts believe that using a good grinder is the essential first step in making a great shot of coffee! Much has been researched and written about the espresso machine; its history is well documented, with its progression coming to rest with the range of beautifully designed and desirable machines we have available today.
And there are plenty of pundits who talk about which beans to buy and from where, which coffee machine is best, and even which tamper to buy and how to master its use.
All are integral elements of the journey of discovery that goes into producing a great espresso coffee but if you're really serious about espresso coffee, you just cannot avoid the fact that a good quality grinder is one of the most important pieces of equipment in the entire process.
The fact is, your beautiful espresso machine is nothing without the hard-working services of a grinder - one that is capable of grinding those magic beans finely enough for the espresso machine to extract the sweet flavours of the coffee.
So if it's that important, what features should you look for? How much will you use it and where will it sit - one thing is for sure, you probably don't want a massive commercial grinder sitting on your kitchen bench! How much are you prepared to spend? There are many variables and decisions that need to be made based on your individual needs.
The good news is that there is certainly a wide range of grinders suitable for the domestic market - some are compact and specifically designed for home use, while others are smaller versions of their bigger commercial brethren.
Key factors you need to consider are: Temperature stability - grinding coffee beans in itself, generates heat.
It is important that the grinder blades don't overheat [as a result of the mechanical friction of the blades, the conductive heating of housing materials or the working of the motor], as this can further expose the coffee to heat.
Remember that roasted coffee is a delicate, perishable product and overheating may affect the flavour, along with potentially swelling the bean, affecting the fineness of the grind for a given setting [and therefore affecting the extraction].
Some grinders have dosing chambers, and some don't - one of the key things about good coffee, is that your beans should be fresh, and equally importantly, that they are freshly ground! A dosing chamber receives the grinds directly from the grinding mechanism, to be released into the filter basket in measured doses as required.
For some people, having a dosing chamber is thought to be a temptation to leave ground coffee in the chamber to become stale, leading to an inferior coffee the next time.
The argument against dosing chambers therefore, is that having to hold the portafilter right up to the grind chute of a chamberless grinder - as the coffee is coming out - forces you to grind on demand.
That is, you can only grind enough to fill the filter basket for the coffee you are about to make, which of course, means the coffee must be freshly ground! Burr grinders vs blade grinders - one of the keys to espresso coffee is being able to grind finely enough to create resistance to the water being pushed through the coffee to extract the oils and hence the flavours.
Blade [or spice] grinders, having a chopping mechanism, cannot grind the coffee beans finely enough to do this.
Secondly, the chopping method does not produce a good consistency of grind, and having some particles much coarser than others leads to an inferior espresso result.
Whatever you are looking for, we hope our week-by-week review can shed some light on what you might be looking for to suit your individual espresso needs.
Note: while the grinders mentioned in our full review are models for the Australian market, you will find most of them readily available in most other markets, including the US and most European countries.