Grinding beans for an espresso

What should you pay attention to when grinding coffee beans for espresso?

Grinding coffee beans for your espresso is a very precisely measured job. 

Before a coffee bean is processed into a delicious cup of powerful coffee, there are several crucial steps you have to take. 

Each of these steps affects how strong the coffee is, but also how the coffee tastes.

If you are interested in coffee taste you should check out the article in the link above.

One of the most important steps in this process is grinding the coffee beans. 

Why do we actually grind the coffee? 

What is the difference between a hand grinder and an electric grinder? 

Why are there flat metal discs and cone-shaped ones? 

What’s the difference between ceramic material and metal?

n this article, we list the secrets of a good coffee grinder.

Discover how to get the coffee to your taste and enjoy a freshly brewed espresso of constant quality every day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er2voEn8ZDU

Why grind coffee fresh beans for espresso?

Of course, you can brew a cup of espresso with ground coffee.

Many people opt for easy-to-brew espresso take the route of ground coffee. 

The real coffee connoisseur will taste this immediately, however. 

Because the grind is exposed to light and air and may have been in the store for a long time, several factors influence the taste of the coffee. 

More often than not, the espresso will be crap when using stale shelf coffee from the supermarket.

Moreover, the person who drinks the coffee does not influence how the coffee is ground. 

As you will notice below, this also affects the price. 

As a rule, it is better to choose to grind your own coffee beans if you value a strong coffee and if you want a high-quality coffee. 

Once you have opted for coffee beans, the next choice is there; Do you opt for manual grinding, or do you leave the grinding to a machine?

Is it better to grind coffee beans by hand or machine?

With a hand grinder, you get the freshest coffee when you put the beans in the grinder just before grinding and then grind exactly the amount of coffee for one or two cups. 

Moreover, you can easily experiment with the blend if you want to use different types of coffee. 

Another advantage is that the grinding degree is very constant. 

This is important because a constant grinding degree also ensures a constant flavour.

The electric coffee grinder has the advantage that it only requires the push of a button and goes faster. 

Certainly, with the best coffee grinders, the constant grinding degree is guaranteed as we have listed them, and the quality is optimal. 

Although I can imagine that you already want a nice espresso after this explanation, but there is one more topic that you should think about.

What should you pay attention to when choosing a grinder?

If you choose a coffee grinder to grind coffee for espresso, you often choose flat or cone-shaped (conical) grinding discs.

You can often choose from ceramic material or metal, where ceramic is often slightly more expensive. 

Both choices have to do with the heat and resistance generated by the grinding. 

This affects the taste and quality of a cup of espresso.

Do you opt for metal or ceramic grinding discs?

The old argument is that ceramic grinding discs wear less quickly and conduct less heat. 

The story of wear and tear is primarily a selling point. 

A test by the consumer association shows that no difference can be detected between metal and ceramic materials. 

The heat conduction argument is stronger. 

Indeed, metal conducts more heat than ceramic material. 

However, if you are looking for a coffee grinder at home, this will have a limited influence due to the short time you actually are grinding as the few seconds it takes to grinder fo a cup of espresso hardly makes the grinder warm.

Do you opt for flat or conical grinding discs?

The flat grinding discs are two planes, which creates more friction when grinding coffee beans for espresso. 

This friction creates heat, and that causes a change in the taste of the coffee beans. 

The conical or conical grinding disc ensures less conductivity. 

The true connoisseur will taste that the taste is slightly different when drinking several cups of different grinds. 

This is because the grinding degree is slightly less constant. 

The advice is, therefore, to go for a conical grinding disc.

What can we conclude about grinding coffee beans for espresso?

You prepare a delicious espresso with freshly ground coffee from your favourite coffee grinder.

It is best to choose a coffee grinder from our overview of the best coffee grinders for people who want to enjoy a great quality espresso without putting too many efforts.

However, many people want to invest more time and energy in making a delicious cup of espresso. 

These people attach great importance to the taste experience and look for the perfect grinding degree for their coffee.

For such people, it is essential to make a trade-off between a flat or a conical grinding disc, for example.

We can state here; Taste differs. 

It is therefore very difficult to indicate the exact way to grind coffee beans for espresso.

That depends entirely on the taste of the end-user!

What Grinder would you recommend?

My personal preference, when it comes to coffee grinders, is that I have two favourite grinders.

The Mazzer Mini, and the Sage Smart Grinder.

I feel after having tested both extensively, that they make excellent quality grounds and will be grinders that you can keep for years to come.

I will add links to both below.

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What about espresso machines with integrated grinders?

Espresso machines with integrated grinders can be a great alternative if you do not want to have 2 different huge machines taking up your kitchen counter space or simply realise that this is perfect for most people.

I, for example, love my Breville Barista Express. 

It makes amazing coffee and has an integrated coffee grinder that I have had zero issues with, despite using it several times daily for more than 2 years.

These coffee machines are the perfect alternative for many of us, as we might not have money or space for these machines.

You can read my review on the Breville Barista Express here.