Coffee grinder and grinding accessories
A coffee grinder lets you grind your beans just before brewing, so the aroma ends up in your cup instead of fading in an open bag of ground coffee. In this category you'll find the Hario Mini Slim Plus hand grinder, Puly Grind cleaner for grinders and the Macap CPS tamper for espresso. Here is what to look for when you choose.
Why grind your own coffee?
Once coffee is ground, its aroma starts to fade within minutes. Grinding just before you brew keeps more of it in the cup. A grinder also lets you set the grind for the way you brew, which matters more for the taste than most people expect.
The Hario Mini Slim Plus: a hand grinder
The Hario Mini Slim Plus is a manual coffee grinder. It needs no power and is compact enough to take with you when travelling. You set the grind yourself, from fine to coarse, and turn the handle. That takes a little effort, so it suits one or two cups at a time rather than a full pot for the office.
A hand grinder like this is most comfortable at filter, pour-over and cafetière settings. You can grind fine enough for espresso, but grinding by hand for several espressos a day is hard work.
Coffee grinding: grind size by brewing method
- Espresso: fine, close to flour.
- Moka pot: fine to medium-fine, a little coarser than espresso.
- AeroPress: fine to medium, depending on how long you let it steep.
- V60 and other pour-over: medium-fine, like table salt.
- Filter machine: medium.
- Cafetière: coarse, like sea salt.
- Cold brew: coarse.
Too bitter or harsh? Grind coarser. Thin and sour? Grind finer. Change one step at a time and taste.
What to look for in a coffee bean grinder
- Burrs or blades: a burr grinder, like the Mini Slim Plus, grinds the beans between two burrs to an even size. A blade grinder chops them and leaves a mix of fine dust and coarse pieces.
- Manual or electric: manual is quiet, compact and needs no socket; electric is faster when you grind for several people.
- How much you brew: for one or two cups a hand grinder is enough; for a household that drinks coffee all day, speed starts to matter.
- Cleaning: check that you can take the grinder apart easily.
Keep your grinder clean
Coffee leaves oils and fine particles behind in a grinder. Over time they turn stale and you taste them in fresh coffee. Puly Grind coffee grinder cleaner comes in 10 bags: you grind the contents of a bag through the grinder like beans, and it takes coffee residue with it. Then grind a small amount of coffee and throw it away before you brew again.
For espresso: the tamper
After grinding for espresso, you press the coffee evenly into the filter basket with a tamper. The Macap CPS tamper is made for 52 mm and 57.5 mm baskets. Measure the inside of your portafilter basket before you order, because a tamper that is too small leaves loose coffee at the edge.
Looking for beans to grind? Browse our coffee beans.