Aqil Amjid
You will be able to choose the most optimal coffee grinder for the French press. Our guide in this article takes you through a perfect ride that ends in choosing the grinder you need the most. If you have any queries, you can look at the commonly asked questions answered at the end; we are certain that you will find what you are looking for. Just a quick tip, make sure you always opt for a burr coffee grinder because a burr grinder assures uniformity of grind and preservation of flavor.
Among several methods for brewing coffee, the French press seems the easiest and quick. That’s true; you just have to get a good French press and do the brewing. However, it requires some precise details, including the temperature of the water, roast and size of the beans, and the brew time. If you get these things aligned, the coffee you brew will no doubt be perfect.
The type, quality, and grind of the beans should be more focused on because the french press is all about how the coffee beans are; there is very little role of other things. This is why you need to focus on the best coffee grinder for the French press. To some people, grinding might seem just a process of crushing the beans, but there is a lot more to it. The way you grind beans and the size you choose to change a lot. These are some of the best grinders for French press coffee, and there’s a lot of information to cover below; only then will you be able to get your hands on a good coffee grinder.
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OUR TOP PICKS
Editor’s Choice
OXO BREW Conical
Easy to use
Large grounds container
Choosing the Best Coffee Grinder for French Press
There’s a number of things that you need to consider in order to choose the best coffee grinder for the French press. A little knowledge of these factors will help you a lot.
Grind Consistency
The size of the particles of coffee grounds needs to be even. An uneven grind will destroy the coffee. Consistency matters a lot, and it can be achieved if you go for a good grinder. In most cases a burr grinder will always give you a consistent grind, whereas, a blade grinder will not always have same results. So you should try to stick to a burr grinder.
Manual vs Electric
Coffee grinders can be both electric or manual, and both of these have their own pros and cons. Manual coffee makers are, most of the time, cheap, but their performance is limited. It will take longer to grind the beans, you will have to sweat yourself a little, and controlling the size of the grind is something not desirable in manual grinders. On the other hand, an electric coffee grinder does the grinding quickly. The results are always good, and they offer you precise grind size adjustment. But there is no doubt about the fact that they are expensive compared to manual grinders.
Burr vs Blade
The way beans are crushed inside a coffee grinder will either be a burr or a blade. A blade coffee grinder does not offer a size adjustment option and is not able to grind evenly. But the good thing here is that blade grinders are quick and cheap. So if you prefer saving money over the taste of coffee, then a blade grinder is what you should be going for.
Whereas a burr grinder gets you the best grinding results. The size of coffee grounds is always even, and it also offers you a size adjustment option. But truth beholds, they are expensive, and they take longer to grind the beans. And for this reason, a burr grinder is always preferred for the French press because you will be needing the option for altering the grind size.
Stainless-steel vs Ceramic
The burr inside a coffee grinder can be either ceramic or stainless steel. Both are good in their own way, but those with ceramic burr may cost a bit higher. The thing is that ceramic burr will work for longer, its sharpness will not fade, and it does not get heated during the process. As a result, the flavor, oil, and aroma are totally preserved. Steel burrs, on the other side, are durable as well and are much sharper compared to ceramic (initially), but it dulls with time. And steel gets heated during the process, which somehow spoils the oils and flavor of coffee a little bit.
Size Adjustment
One important thing which a grinder for French press must-have is the grind size control. This feature, no doubt, takes the price higher but is useful. You will have to change the grind size every now and then for reasons like changing coffee beans or using a different brewing method. If this feature is absent, you will be stuck to a single grind size forever.
Cleaning Process
Most of all, the coffee grinder you use should be easy to clean and maintain. You will have to clean the burr and the compartment where the coffee grounds are caught. For this, the disassembling and assembling of the grinder should be easy.
Size of the Grinder
Finally, the dimensions of the coffee grinders matter for some people. See, you may already have many important things like a coffee maker, microwave oven, etc., at the countertop. Your grinder should not make it any more difficult for you. Make sure the coffee grinder you go for is not too wide and heavy. It has very limited use (a minute or under) and therefore should be compact in nature.
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1. OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Durable coffee grinder
PROS:
Large Bean Hopper, Stainless-steel Grounds Container
CONS:
Tall for most countertops
OXO BREW conical burr grinder is the final thing we have here. It is mostly made of plastic and stainless steel. The hopper it gets is a bigger one than many and can accommodate up to 0.75 pounds of coffee beans in it. This might even be the reason why this coffee grinder is tall. Speaking of the burr, it is hardened steel, and the grinding results are pretty good. The hopper has a lock mechanism to lock the beans from getting in and remove the hopper.
The coffee grounds container is also made of stainless steel with a lid on it. It is nicely air-tight, and you can store coffee beans for a longer period without any worries. The adjustment option allows you to choose anywhere between 1 – 15 grind sizes. And to be honest, the coarse grind size of it is pretty good for the French press. On the front of it lies a circular dial where you can set the time up to a maximum of 30 seconds. And the mid of this dial is the power button.
It’s a nice-looking coffee grinder and is from OXO, which means it is a quality build. The price is pretty justifiable; $ 100 is considered an average price for good coffee grinders. And despite a lower price, you get good results along with grind adjustment options. You should seek out in advance that it is taller than other grinders, so make sure it will make its place wherever you will be placing it.
2. Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder
Commercial Grade Coffee Grinder
PROS:
Compact Design, No heat production, Safety Lock
CONS:
Power and timer in same button
Capresso Infinity is a widely used coffee grinder; it has many positive reviews from experts and users. And the coarse grind of it is considered best for the French press. OK, starting with the design, it is not too big, so it won’t occupy a lot on the countertop. Also, the design is good, which makes it suitable to be placed anywhere; it will be a nice addition to your kitchen appliances. One main reason it becomes the best electric coffee grinder for the French press is the slow speed of crushing beans. This stops the burr from heating, and the flavor is intact.
You get to choose both grind size and time for grinding in this coffee grinder. You get 4 different grind brackets (extra-fine, fine, medium, and coarse), each of which has 4 more grind sizes; this makes it a total of 16 grind sizes. You can change the grind size by rotating the bean hopper left or right. Depending on the number of beans you want to crush, you can choose anywhere from 5 seconds to 60 seconds for the timer. The bean hopper on the top is transparent and can hold up to 8.5 ounces of beans at a time. Moreover, it has a safety lock that ensures the grinder won’t start unless the bean container is locked in.
The coffee grounds container at the lower front is transparent as well. There is a max marking on it, which is reached when 4 ounces of grounds are in it. This marking should not be crossed for the good performance of the grinder. Overall, it is a nice choice for grinding beans which are supposed to be used for the French press. And talking about its price, among electric coffee grinders with such good features, falls on the budget side.
3. Secura Electric Burr Coffee Grinder
Grind settings for Drip, Percolator & Turkish coffee makers
PROS:
Compact design, Quantity control, 17 grind settings
CONS:
Didn’t quite meet the mark for espresso
With its compact design, best grinding performance, and justifiable price, the Secura electric burr coffee grinder crushes the competitors. It demands a little space on your kitchen’s tabletop so it can be easily adjusted with other coffee gadgets. Moreover, it offers you 17 grind settings, so you can get your beans from fine to coarse for brewing a variety of drinks such as French press, espresso, Turkish coffee, and more. In addition, it entertains your 2-12 cups in one shift. With quantity control dial, you can manage it by yourself. Its simple controls and the fast, effective system grinds fresh coffee whenever you want. As it’s a burr grinder, it provides you with uniformly ground beans and a preserved aroma. Finally, if you are the one who prefers self-grinded beans for French press and other beverages without dealing with great expense, stop thinking deeply and buy this one.
4. JavaPresse Adjustable Manual Coffee Grinder
Best manual coffee grinder
PROS:
Cheap, 18 Grind Settings
CONS:
Low hopper capacity
JavaPresse has been able to design an elegant and best hand coffee grinder for the French press. It looks pretty stylish, the design is simple yet effective, and most of all, it is cheap. Yes, if you are looking for a budget coffee grinder, this is the one. It is made of all stainless steel, and the construction is pretty good. It comes with a handle that does not permanently attach to the grinder; you only have to hook it when in use. Below this is the lid, and by removing the lid, you will enter the bean hopper where there is a burr. Below the burr is another chamber that holds the coffee grounds in it.
The burr here also offers you to adjust the grind size. You can choose anywhere from 18 different settings, and the sizes are pretty precise. On the outer side of the burr, there is a scroll that changes the grind size by rotating. If you rotate it to the left, the grind size becomes coarse, and it gets fine by going to the right. The hopper can accommodate up to 35 grams of beans at a time, this is low capacity, but the grinder’s price is low too.
Overall, it is easy to use, does not produce a lot of noise, and is cheap. The only thing one may not like is that the amount it can grind at a time is very small, and you’ll have to put some force into it too; of course, this is because it is a manual one. Other than this, the French press should grind, and the burr inside it is pretty effective.
5. Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder
Best consistent coffee grinder
PROS:
Fancy, Price, Quick
CONS:
Loose hopper lid
Bodum is considered the best burr coffee grinder for the French press regarding style and design. It is designed perfectly, occupies very little space, and looks fancy on the countertop. Inside, it uses a very solid steel burr, and its grind performance is good too. You get to choose from 12 different grind sizes, and on the way, you will see icons on top, which are drip, espresso, and French press. These icons are the recommended grind sizes for each type. Still, you can always alter and choose among any of the 12 available options.
The bean hopper on the top can accommodate up to 7.75 ounces of beans, and its lid is made of plastic. You may not like the fact that the lid is not a very tight one, and therefore you should not keep your beans there unless you want to grind them. The bottom container for coffee grounds is made of glass and has a rubber lid with an opening in the center; the coffee grounds are dropped into it. Overall, it assures that no coffee grounds fly around.
There is an ON/OFF button on the side of the machine, which allows current to it. Then on the top is a power button and a circular dial for setting the time. You can choose anywhere between 5 – 20 seconds. So yes, the grinding speed of this coffee grinder is good. It costs in the upper 90s, which makes it an average price for good coffee grinders because many others with the same features are way too expensive.
6. Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
Best multiple grind settings
PROS:
40 Grind Sizes
CONS:
Finest grind throws whole pieces
Here comes another grinder that is known best for entry-level use. It is nicely designed, has multiple ways of starting it, and overall performance is average. Speaking of the design, it is very sleek. It won’t be occupying a lot of space on the countertop. The bean hopper on it is semi-transparent and allows you to add up to 8 ounces of beans which equals half a pound.
You can adjust the grind size anywhere between 1 to 40, where 1 is the finest grind, and 40 is the most coarse. The grinding performance is not ultimately at the top. If you go for a very fine grind, it starts throwing big pieces of coffee beans into it. And the coarse grind is a little on the uneven side. The good thing about it, based that people choose a wide range of grind sizes. So, among 40 grind sizes, it is obvious that you’ll find yourself the perfect size.
On its side is a circular dial using which you can set the time and turn it ON. But you also get a button on the front of this grinder; it is a press and holds the button. When you press the button, the grinder starts, and it shuts OFF as soon as you leave the button. Its price is good, not too expensive, and it proves to be best for entry-level purposes.
As mentioned at the very start, you need to take care of certain things, and only then will you be able to brew a perfect cup of coffee using a French press. Of all, the very first thing, of course, is to get the perfect coffee beans for french press, then comes grinding and brewing. Once you have chosen the beans, the grinding part is of utter importance. Because grinding isn’t just crushing or chopping the beans; if done wrong, it can spoil your coffee, and if done right, it will give you the best coffee you’ve ever had.
Does Size of the Grind matter?
Grind size of coffee grounds is of utmost importance when it comes to the French press method. Moreover, a medium to coarse grind is the best grind size for French press if you want to have an aromatic and tasty cup of coffee. Apart from this, the beans and water temperature is also essential. Still, as you know that every person has a different taste in coffee. And at the same time, you will not have the same beans or get the same temperature of the water; that’s why relying on the grind size of coffee is very important. And by getting a good coffee grinder with multiple grind sizes, you will get the perfect grind size, resulting in a great cup of coffee.
Furthermore, fine grind size is not good for the French press brewing method. Because the immersion does not take place due to the lower surface area. And because of the fine grind size of coffee, there is a good chance that a certain amount of coffee grounds will pass through the mesh. But a medium to coarse grind size allows maximum surface area contact. Due to this, the hot water can extract more flavor from the grounds. For this reason, you can’t rely on pre-ground coffee because it’s a fine grind mostly. So, going for a grinder that is best known for its medium to coarse grind sizes is a good idea.
Is Uniformity important for Brew quality?
In addition to the grind size, all the particles of the coffee grounds must be alike in size. Uniformity brews the coffee the way you want it to be. If the coffee grounds are uneven, there is a chance that the final coffee will either be too strong or too weak. Now uniformity is totally related to the blade or burr used inside the coffee grinder. Burr grinders are known for even grind size, but not all of them are good with getting you an even grind when it comes to blade grinders.
How to Preserve Oil and Flavors?
As you know, every coffee lover wants to have a cup of coffee rich in taste, and for that reason, the coffee beans should not lose taste or flavor. More, the perseverance of oil and flavor of coffee beans mostly depends on the coffee grinder. That’s why Burr coffee grinders and specifically ceramic burr grinders are perfect for keeping the oil and flavor of the coffee beans while grinding. As for the blade coffee grinder might cause this issue because its blade rotates at high speed, which causes the coffee beans to burn. And this causes a loss of flavor and a burnt taste in your final coffee.
What is the optimal brew time for French Press?
The French press method usually requires 3 – 4 minutes for proper brewing. But you should know that time, grind size, and taste are related to each other. Suppose you want to use fine coffee grounds in a French press; your coffee will taste bitter because of immersion. The taste and flavors won’t come out easily. On the other side, if a medium or coarse grind is used, the flavors will be properly extracted, and within 3 – 4 minutes, you will get a rich coffee.
Zeeshan Ayaz
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