How to choose an espresso grinder?

“My espresso doesn't taste good!”

“I always use the same coffee, but it tastes different every day.”

“I’ve tried several coffees with my machine, but none of them taste very good!”

Don't get me wrong, the problem isn't necessarily the coffee you're using. A dull espresso (with little aroma or even no taste) can have many causes other than poor-quality beans.

THE ESPRESSO RECIPE

To try to explain this, let's consider the main parameters involved in preparing an espresso:

• The size and quantity of the grind

• The distribution and tamping of the grind

• The temperature and quantity of water

• The extraction time

• The pressure exerted during extraction

In summary, four factors external to the coffee bean itself have an impact on the result in the cup. In reality, many other factors influence the preparation of our espresso (the type of machine, the quality of the water, whether or not a pre-infusion is performed, etc.), but that is not what we are interested in here. This is a simplified version of the elements that make up the “recipe” for espresso and allows us to better identify potential sources of problems.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GRINDING

If you recognized yourself in the opening sentences of this article, there is a good chance that you will find solutions here. Let's take a closer look at our four factors:

Grind: This is the basis of any coffee beverage. Ideally, you want freshly roasted beans (less than 2 months old) that are ground on demand to preserve all their aromatic richness.

Water: Water is composed of a combination of minerals that dissolve the coffee to produce the famous beverage. It is often said that it is composed of 98% water. It is important to filter it to avoid unpleasant tastes and odors, but also to soften it and thus protect your machine from limescale.

Time: Espresso is a short drink that is extracted quickly, which is how it gets its name (video in English only), but it is also important to make it with precision. Time control is more important in espresso than in any other coffee infusion. Aim for around 30 seconds, relying primarily on taste.

Pressure: This is what makes espresso so unique among coffee-based beverages. Each machine has its own technology and process, but the general target is 9 bars of pressure (and more on automatic machines), or approximately 9kg per cm2. This pressure may or may not be applied constantly during extraction, depending on the desired result.

If we rank these four factors in order of importance, the grind comes first, since the other three depend on it. It is therefore less relevant to analyze what the bean is or is not, and more important to pay attention to what you do with it.

WHICH GRINDER SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

To choose the best grinder for you, start by asking yourself these three questions:

1. Am I ready to use a grinder?

This is an essential question. Knowing yourself is important when purchasing any kind of equipment. You wouldn't buy a food processor if you only cook a few times a month. The same goes for coffee. A good grinder is an investment and requires daily time and patience to get the most out of it.

If you don't feel ready, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a freshly ground espresso. That's the beauty of automatic machines like JURA. You can regularly feed the machine with fresh beans to keep it in top condition. With the latest generation of grinders, such as the Aroma G3, the machine will automatically adjust the amount of beans to be ground according to the selected intensity. The grind size will be adjusted according to the type of coffee and roast you use. The machine then takes care of the other extraction parameters explained above. In addition to being highly consistent and precise, this integrated grinder is fast and quiet. This provides a high-quality espresso experience with minimal effort.

If you are more attracted to the “handmade” aspect but are hesitant because of the need for two pieces of equipment (machine + grinder), there is another option. Manual machines with built-in grinders offer the perfect balance between practicality and performance. The Kate model from LELIT features a conical burr grinder with micrometric adjustment. This means you can adjust the burr tension to within a micron. A feature worthy of the best residential grinders and perfectly suited to espresso.

2. Do I want a grinder for espresso, filter coffee, or both?

While most espresso grinders can produce a grind suitable for gentle brewing methods, the reverse is not true. Espresso grind is very specific, requiring a very precise setting due to its need for fineness. The idea is that the grinder must be able to grind “finer than fine,” i. e., to the nearest micron.

Depending on the brand, there are models with step or continuous adjustment. If you want a grinder that is particularly suitable for espresso, it is recommended that you opt for a continuous or stepless grinder. These generally offer greater precision in terms of particle size. That said, step grinders also work very well. Just keep in mind that the more steps there are, the more precise it will be.

3. What type of coffee and how much am I going to grind?

Coffee is a fruit, and therefore a natural product that cannot be uniform. Each origin and variety will have a different size and density. In addition, the level of roasting has a direct impact on the resistance of the bean when it is ground.

So, if you like high-altitude, lightly roasted coffees, you will need a fast and powerful grinder. This will make it easier to crush these often dense beans and produce a consistent grind. Conversely, a very fine grind made with dark beans will tend to enhance bitterness, which may be unpleasant. It is therefore important to be able to adjust the grind precisely to find the right setting.

All this means that the grind settings will need to be adjusted from one coffee to another. This can be seen as a constraint, or conversely, as a pleasure: the pleasure of finding the best formula for making a cup that we enjoy.

There are two types of grinders capable of producing both espresso and filter coffee grounds:

Conical burrs: These offer precise grinding, especially when combined with a stepless control. They preserve the grain from heating and have a long service life. They sometimes tend to retain a little ground coffee in the chamber.

Flat burrs: These are suitable for residential use, as they produce a consistent grind with little retention. Their cutting surface is often larger, offering better performance. Their high rotation speed can tend to heat the grind during intensive use.

Once again, the important thing is to clearly identify its use:

If you like speed and ease, the William PL72 grinder from LELIT is the perfect ally. It allows you to program two different dosages and adjust the quantity and grinding time to the nearest millisecond. It is also very fast thanks to its 64mm flat burrs.

If you only make one or two espressos a day, the Fred model is ideal. It is compact and offers precise, easily adjustable grinding thanks to its micrometric system.