Your Coffee Grinder Could Be Sabotaging Your Daily Cup Of Joe

It's no secret that the starter key in the ignition of your morning is that first sip of coffee. The soothing warmth, vibrant taste, and the jolt of caffeine all work together to get your eyes open and, hopefully, your brain functioning. Unfortunately, before that java fills your favorite mug, you have to acquire some grounds to brew it, which for many means grinding the beans manually. Most people believe that grinding coffee yourself, rather than purchasing pre-ground, leads to a richer, more flavorful cup of joe. However, some experts have noted that the DIY approach can be drastically counterproductive when using the wrong type of grinder. 

The perfect cup of coffee must begin with a high-quality mill, and if your tools aren't up to snuff, then neither will your resulting brew. The main culprit behind ineffective coffee grounds is the popular blade grinder. Though its simplicity and cost-effectiveness can be alluring, there are a couple of glaring reasons this particular variety may be restricting you from getting the most bang for your bean. 

Getting the most out of your beans, no matter the variety of coffee begins with a freshly ground batch of beans. There are a number of types of coffee grinders at consumer disposal, but coffee experts, like the ones at Coffee Detective, warn that blade grinder, so named because of the whirring blades it uses, may not be able to catch and successfully obliterate all the beans you've poured in. This leaves the resulting grounds uneven, which makes too much water extraction in the more finely pulverized beans, and less in the larger chunks. 

Sadly, this affects the taste, making the coffee more sour and bitter, hiding any notes of flavor the variety of coffee may have been meant to show off. In this case, it may even be a better idea to simply purchase pre-ground coffee, which has been done by professionals beforehand to ensure quality taste. Sure, you may seem less like a coffee connoisseur by not doing it yourself, but if a good-tasting cup of coffee is what you're after, that may be a smarter route.  

If your heart's set on grinding your own beans at home, and you're able to make the choice, it might be worth investing in a burr grinder. These mills feed the coffee beans through two sharp bladed cones that ensures your grounds will end up in equal particle size no matter what. A more even grind size will allow better water distribution throughout, resulting in a far smoother taste than one would get with the aforementioned blade grinder. While they are typically on the more expensive end of the price spectrum, if you care about quality coffee, it might be right for you.

A cup of joe sets the tone for your entire day, so it's imperative that you get the it right on the first try. If you can help it, make the switch from that sub-par grinder to something a little more substantial, which will surely make your mornings happier in the long run. You deserve it!