Burr grinders are high-tech these days. They include scales and timers, dosers and tampers, gadgets and gizmos aplenty, whosits and whatsits galore. I, personally, have twenty thingamabobs. But who cares?
You should. These technological improvements help coffee shops make your coffee perfect every day. Scales and timers ensure accuracy, down to the tenth of a gram or the second. And all of these enhancements have been added to burr grinders because THEY ARE THE BEST! Here’s why:
Burr grinders – whether flat or conical – consist of a stationary hard thing and another hard thing that moves really, really fast. These hard things (the burrs) can be made of ceramic, metal, or plastic. Plastic can get destroyed or warped pretty quickly, and metal can hold moisture or build up heat from friction, so ceramic is preferred by most baristas. Beans fall between the hard things, are crushed by them into equal-sized particles, and then thrown out into the world where we call them coffee grounds. Consistency is key! Burr grinders will rarely pack coffee into powder or create fines, especially if the machines are high quality. Unfortunately, most top-of-the-line digital and electric burr coffee grinders cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.