Choosing the right coffee grinding machine for your business is a huge decision that could very well dictate the future of your company on the spot. There is probably no other executive decision that will speak more directly to your customers about who you are as a company. The quality of a cup of coffee all depends on just three things—the blend, the grind and the brew. But without the right grinding machine, no matter what blend bean you pick and no matter how well you brew it, you’re never going to unlock the full potential of your coffee.
Here are the Five Things You Need to Know Before Choosing Your Company’s Coffee Grinding Machine
1. The Blend of Coffee
Choosing a grinder based on the type of coffee you are brewing is essential. Because grinding causes the product to pick up static and/or heat, your ultimate flavor will be affected. Heat affects the oils in coffee while static causes coffee to “cling” at the most inopportune moments. Generally speaking, the longer faster your grinding burrs work, the more heat they will build up. Combine this heat with a bad combination of humidity and temperature and you have the prime conditions for static build-up. To avoid static and heat, choose a low speed coffee grinder. For more static and heat, choose high speed coffee grinders.
2. Getting on the Grind
While it may seem obvious, it’s important to look at the actual size of the grind you’ll want to buy. This depends on how you want to use the coffee (commercial or otherwise), whether you’re looking for Turkish-style coffee (very fine, powdered grinder) an espresso fine grind, an espresso creama (medium-fine grind), a course grind for the drip or a very course grind for French press, your product will help determine the size grind you need.
3. To Live by the Burr or the Blade
There are two major considerations to take into factor when choosing a coffee grinder for your company—the burr or the blade.
- The burr coffee grinder utilizes two cylinders to crush coffee beans into a regulated and consistent size. The distance between these two cylinders directly determines the size of the grounds that are produced. Flat plate burr coffee grinders use two serrated cylinders that are both parallel and identical to one another. Conical burr coffee grinders utilize two conical burrs that are ridged for the grinding. Conical burrs are typically used on lower speed gear reduction coffee grinders. Both types of burrs keep one stationary as the grinding plate, while the other does the grinding as it is powered by a motor.
- Blade grinders take on the properties of a propeller on a plane. These grinders are time-based, meaning the longer you grind the beans, the finer the ground becomes. This allows you a little more instant flexibility in output without having to adjust the grinders as you would have to with burr grinders. Of course, this does mean that you won’t get a consistent blend since everything is based on time, not distance. Plus, longer grinds can cause heat and static to build up.
4. To Dose or Not To Dose
Another important factor to take into consideration when choosing coffee grinders is the choice between dosing and non-dosing grinders. Dosing grinders utilize a container that holds the coffee grinds after grinding, allowing you to release them with the pull of a lever. Non-dosing coffee grinders release the coffee grinds directly into wherever you wish (typically a portafilter or other container). Needless to say, dosing grinders are easier to measure out doses with and are less messy.
5. Making the Adjustment
Finally, choose between the two main styles of adjusting coffee grinders: the stepped and the stepless.
- Stepped adjustment coffee grinders are easy to learn and use. These are typically either self-holding or lever-release. Self-holding models allow you to click the hopper setting into place while the lever allows you to press down as you’re turning the hopper, locking upon release.
- Stepless adjustment coffee grinders are better for those looking for more adjustment options and the ability to make on-the-fly, minute adjustments. Essentially, it’s geared for infinite options, perfectly suited for the connoisseur.
Regardless of which style you eventually wind up choosing, the important thing to remember is that a quality coffee grinder will give you years of reliability and flavor while a bargain coffee grinder will, well, give you bargain tasting coffee.
Author Bio – This article is written by David who occasionally writes for www.mpechicago.com, an undisputed leader in the design and manufacturing of industrial and related processing equipments. If you’re on the lookout for an industrial coffee grinder for your business needs, do get in touch with MPE Chicago today.
